


I’ll Be Seeing You

by Kalte, travisTea



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: 1920s, Alternate Universe - Earth, Angst, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, Explicit Sexual Content, Human Alastor (Hazbin Hotel), Human Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Illegal Activities, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Italian Mafia, Louisiana Voodoo vibe, M/M, Murder, New Orleans, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Period-Typical Homophobia, Prohibition, Smuggling, Violence, Voodoo, mafia, radiodust - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:53:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 63
Words: 412,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24818674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalte/pseuds/Kalte, https://archiveofourown.org/users/travisTea/pseuds/travisTea
Summary: In the later months of 1920, Anthony Ragnatela, a nearly 18-year-old Mafia child is sent to New Orleans to take out a threat to one of his family's many illegal businesses.This is the first job Anthony has ever done alone and the first time he has been outside of New York City. His reward for completing this task is official initiation into the Mafia family after trying to prove himself his entire life, preparing and completing numerous tasks that had been asked of him.However, this job doesn't go as smoothly as expected.Anthony meets an intriguing man by the name of Alastor Levesque, a New Orleans local who works as a butcher. Somehow, Alastor gets in the way of Anthony's assigned hit, and eventually they come to an agreement, Alastor having his own motives.
Relationships: Alastor & Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Alastor/Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel)
Comments: 474
Kudos: 960
Collections: My favorite Hazbin_Hotel fic list of all time.





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings and salutations from the authors!
> 
> Just a few quick disclaimers and warnings to note before we get into it.
> 
> 1) Please be aware that because of the time period this new writing piece is set in, there will be homophobic remarks, beliefs, and ideas thrown around. Know that we are not in favor of homophobia, transphobia, etc. We are active members and allies to the LGBTQIA+ community and support everyone within it.  
> We are only writing such things so it is accurate to the timeline in America; homosexuality was listed as a mental illness until 1973.
> 
> 2) We have put a lot of time and research into the content from slang and phrases to geography. Everything that has been written has had as much research done as possible. If you would like links to our sources, we can provide those as well as translations for either the French, Italian or just the slang.  
> We do have a French translator so everything in French is accurate. However, for Italian, unfortunately, Google translate was used so don’t go up to an Italian and spew whatever is written here (it was the same for Contracts and Deals so…. Yeeaahhh).
> 
> 3) Tags will also be added as we go along. Warnings for graphic and/or suggestive content will be added to the chapters as well, so if you feel uncomfortable with topics like that, you’ll be able to skip ahead and miss nothing important.
> 
> Lastly, a reminder that we have a Discord server where we interact with you guys, share art, and whatever else we have going on in there. We also have Twitter (links and @’s in bio) so if you have fan art based off of the fic, please feel free to share it on either platform. We absolutely love seeing it.
> 
> Now, please enjoy!
> 
> ~T & K

_December 27, 1920_

_Molly said it would be a good idea for me to start journaling during my assignment. I guess she was right considering a lot of it is just sitting and waiting. Especially now._  
_This will be the furthest from home I will likely ever be, but I know I need to do this before I can be brought into the Family._

_Dad and Gio don't think I can do it. I've made clips before but I always had someone with me, even if it was only Molly. Never alone._  
_She was only allowed out that once though. That mission was a bit of a scatter and Dad wasn't too happy that his favorite child was put in so much unnecessary danger._

_Time zones aren't going to be too drastic. New York is only an hour ahead of New Orleans, making it at least a little easier on me. It's going to be strange with the different scenery and temperature. Of course, I did my research before the ticket even touched my hand. I'm not as stupid as a lot of the others make me out to be._

_This will prove I am worthy. I will be welcomed. I will be accepted. Don will be proud of me. Dad will be proud of me. This is going to be the best thing to happen to me._

The young man stopped writing for a moment, removing the lit cigarette from between his lips and flicked the ash into the ashtray beside him as he glanced out of the window to his right. The train had only been moving for around ten minutes, but it already felt like it had been an hour. This was going to be a long twenty hours.  
This notebook was going to be filled by the halfway mark.

Putting the cigarette back between his lips, the young blonde began writing again.

_It's only been ten minutes and I already miss home. I miss my sister. As much as I never thought I'd say it, I miss Gio and Dad. I know I'm not allowed to go home until the job is done. If I want to be welcomed into the Family, it has to be done by my hand. There is so much on the line. There is so much pressure I might just turn into a diamond._

_I'll probably get to the place Dad got set up, go get some more gaspers and start navigating the city. Knowing me though, I'll end up falling asleep the moment I get to the place. So far, rattlers don't have very good places to rest._

_Dad told me it shouldn't take me longer than a month to complete this hit, so I'll be back in my own bed soon._

Taking another pause, the young man took another drag of his cigarette, glancing around him. There was no one else in the car with him. It seemed to be a quiet day; something he wasn't complaining about. The conversation between him and his father leading to this moment seemed to replay over and over in his mind.  
  


"Y' know this is gunna be a hard job to do. If y' want t' be let into the Family this bad, I guess I could say I'm almost proud, Anthony; but I can't help but hold my doubts."  
A dark-haired man began, situated in his seat at a finely crafted mahogany desk, hands folded neatly on the surface and a cigar between his ringed index and middle finger.

Anthony remained silent, knowing not to cut his father off of his train of thought. The blonde kept his eyes on the seated man, paying no attention to the other dark-haired man that stood to his father's right, wearing the usual straight-faced expression. The smaller of the men watched his father for the signal that it was okay for him to speak.

"You'd be far from home, Tony. Y' ain't been t' New Orleans before. Unfamiliar territory for us Ragnatela's. Your ambition is admirable, but I can't let 'cha go."  
With that, he put the cigar between his teeth, leaving it there.

Anthony then gave a nod.  
"I know the risks and I know I ain't seen as the brightest, but I'm willin' t' do whatever it takes t' be officially welcomed to the Family. I took the time t' look through books and learn about the general area."

The man standing placed a hand on the father's shoulder, who then raised his hand to Anthony, stopping him from speaking any more.

"You're right. Y' ain't the brightest by any means, but I think it might be a good idea."  
The man standing spoke, keeping his eyes on the small blonde.  
"Pops, if y' think about it, we only send 'im out on jobs that ain't worth our time, whether it's an easy job or a job we wouldn't put ourselves at risk gettin' caught over."

The father took a few puffs of the cigar and removed it from between his teeth, seeming to mull over the options before letting the smoke leave his lips.  
"Y' got a point, Giovanni."  
He began.  
"This task was assigned to us specifically, but you and I gotta stay here and make sure things continue runnin' smoothly."

Giovanni removed his hand from the father's shoulder, returning it to rest behind his back with the other, giving a slow nod.

"Alright, Tony. We'll get 'cha a one-way ticket to New Orleans. Y' track the target, gain some insight, and report back to me with anything y' find. Any shops 'e goes into, what 'e has for lunch, everything. As soon as I say we have enough information on 'im, y' go in and finish the job."  
The father explained.

Anthony visibly bubbled with excitement and joy as his father continued, though kept his face as calm and expressionless as he possibly could.

"I'll get a plan set in place and any information we got on 'im now. _However_ -"

There was always one of those moments in someone's life when they are inflated with happiness, then are hit with the 'however' or the 'but', causing their bubble to burst.

"-The deal is: if y' happen to succeed, you'll be welcomed into the Family with open arms and you'll take the oath of Omertà. If y' fail, y' ain't _ever_ takin' the oath. Do you accept these terms?"

Anthony paused. There was a lot riding on this. Once he agreed to it now, there was no going back on his decision no matter how much he begged and pleaded. With a bow of his head, Anthony ran his options through.  
His father wasn't a very patient man, so the answer was to be given at that moment. Whatever he said would be final. There wouldn't be another word said about this, so if he declined, his father wouldn't sit and listen to reconsider in the future.

"Yes, I accept."  
The blonde stated, raising his head again a few moments later, looking between the two men in front of him.

A subtle smirk could be seen creeping up to Giovanni's face as he raised his chin ever so slightly; a look Anthony knew well. His brother was easy to read when he had gotten his way.  
Giovanni knew of Anthony's goal and even went as far as openly talking about the assignment during breakfast, obviously putting the idea in the young one's mind.

"Good, now go prepare for your job tonight. Your brother and sister will help you."  
The father stated.  
Giovanni gave a nod before leaving the father's side and towards the door.

Anthony nodded and followed, leaving his father's office and starting down the hall, staying silent until he knew he and his brother weren't within earshot of the room.

"You're a real asshole, y' know that?"  
The blonde stated eyes narrowed at his escort.

"I dunno what 'cha mean, Tony."  
Giovanni replied calmly.

"You know how bad I want this and you knew Dad was gunna put those terms in place."  
Anthony continued.

"Yeah, and I also know how fast this needs t' get done. Dad and I can't just leave for a few months t' do this ourselves. This'll be a great way t' prove yourself. Dad'll probably throw a whole fuckin' parade for ya."

"How'd I land with such a piece o' shit brother, aye?"  
Anthony ground out.

"If I didn't think y' could do it, I wouldn't've put it in your head. And hey, if you're fast enough, you'll be back in time for your birthday."

Anthony knew that was a complete lie. He knew how Giovanni felt toward him. He saw his younger brother as a liability to the Mafia as a whole. Not to mention what had happened to their mother. Giovanni blamed Anthony entirely for that, giving more motive to make his life all the more miserable.

Anthony stayed silent the rest of the time as they made their way up to a room on the second floor of the fairly large home, seeing his twin sister already there, ready to help her brothers.

"How'd your 'lil meeting with Papa go, Rigatoni?"  
She asked, her angelic voice cutting the silence with worry laced into every word.

Giovanni made his way over to a wardrobe to start gathering what Anthony was going to need for that evening.

Anthony took a breath.  
"It went okay, I think... he agreed t' let me go."

Molly's eyes lit up at the news, a big smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.  
"Oh, Tony! I'm so happy for you!"  
She beamed, rushing over and hugging her twin, who simply patted her back in return.

"I'll give the details later. Right now, we gotta focus."  
Anthony said, Molly immediately picking up on the low-spirited tone in his voice. She simply nodded and led her twin to their older brother.  
  


Anthony put the cigarette out in the ashtray and watched the city become smaller in the distance. He was nervous, and rightfully so. There were many risks to this.  
Turning back to his pocket-sized notebook, he began writing again.

_All I can do is hope that things go well. Molly has faith in me, which isn't a surprise to me. She's always supported me even when she shouldn't have. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here. I owe her everything. I know she's going to make some lucky cat real happy._  
_The first thing I do when I get to New Orleans is give her a buzz. She asked me to call her when I got there safe and sound._

_Dad might not like me wasting time like that, but it's Molly, so he will make the exception._

Anthony found himself needing to pause so he could wipe his eyes free of tears. His sister was the light of the household since their mother's abrupt passing and the sudden leave of their nanny that followed. The mere thought jerked the faucet even after all the time that had passed.  
He and Molly were very young when it happened, so Anthony's memories were limited and as he grew older, it became harder for him to keep those precious memories from blurring and fading out.

Then the thought of what his mother would think about his current situation came to mind. She wouldn't have allowed this to happen under any circumstances.

Anthony shook his head and closed his notebook, putting it into this inner coat pocket along with the pen and watched out the window again.  
There was no point in thinking about any of that now. He had an important task to focus on and he couldn't allow anything to stand in his way. Not even his own mind.


	2. Chapter 2

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Tuesday, December 28th, 1920  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

As soon as the city of New Orleans was in view, Anthony rubbed his tired eyes and stood from his seat. Again, the train car he was situated in was still quite empty. It was now December twenty-eighth of 1920, so he was on the train overnight.   
He left Grand Central Station on the train at two o'clock in the afternoon and was now arriving at his destination at nearly ten o'clock in the morning the next day. Well, it would be ten back in New York. Because of the hour time difference, it was nine o'clock in the morning in New Orleans.

Grabbing his rather large suitcase, Anthony put his coat over his shoulder for now. Due to the fact that he was away from his family, there was also a lack of formality required in his outward presentation; hair out of its usual slick style and casually dressed with a white button-down, grey slacks, and black suspenders. If it was like the books said, it would be a lot warmer here. So far, they were all right because there wasn't a hint of snow or frost on the ground from what he could see, hence the change of clothes during the journey.  
Anthony's father probably wouldn't approve of such attire if he were there, but he wasn't so there was free range; one of the bonuses to doing this job alone.

The young blonde made his way over to the doors once he was sure he had everything and exited the train car.   
The fresh new air outside was refreshing. Much better than the dense air inside of the train.

Taking out a piece of paper from his coat pocket, Anthony looked at the small note that was written out that said _'St. Charles Hotel – 135 St. Charles Ave. Con # 141943517'_  
He was told that the confirmation number was the only thing he was going to need to get the key for his hotel room, but he still had some identification on hand just in case.

First thing was first; he was going to need a map, so, folding the paper again and putting it in his pocket, Anthony made his way into the station building to seek out the item. Surely they would have some of those around seeing as this was a big city for tourism.   
It wasn't a very busy time it seemed, perhaps that was due to the fact it was just after Christmas, and people were all settled at their desired destinations already from that particular holiday; now just waiting for New Years before returning home.

Of course, this didn't matter much to Anthony. Holidays and celebrations simply weren't had in his household. They were seen as a waste of time and treated as any other day of the year.

Grabbing the first map he found that clearly stated 'New Orleans', Anthony brought it to the counter and set it down. The woman working the register began talking to him in what he could only assume was French, to which he was mildly confused about but simply just smiled and nodded anyway despite not knowing exactly what was being said to him.   
He quietly paid for the map, too tired to try to figure anything else out as he grabbed the item and started making his way out onto the platform again and make his way towards the city's streets.

Because of how tired he was, he wasn't even thinking to look at what street he was on or even to look at the map he had just brought until an hour or so into his adventure. It was as he pulled the map from his pocket that he realized this map was in complete French. It made sense now, why the person he bought the map from only spoke to him in French.

"Dannazione..."  
The young blonde muttered to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose.  
He tried to read it anyway to see if he could figure out where he was or where he was supposed to go, but that plan failed because his exhausted mind just wouldn't process much of anything it was being fed. Not to mention he was hungry and dehydrated as well.

After another hour or so of wandering, Anthony had enough, entering the nearest place he spotted and stepped inside, the bell above the door chiming to announce his appearance. It was a rather cold place and seemed to have an almost metallic smell to it.   
Upon actually looking around, he noticed that this was a butcher shop. Meats of all kinds hanging around was a clear indicator of that.  
He slowly approached the counter, looking around at all of the hunger-inducing items.

With December coming to a close, many people in the city were relaxed in awaiting the new year in a few short days' time. With the holiday season and Réveillon having passed, business for the only non-family-owned butchers within the French Quarter had been rather slow.  
The customers who had been providing the small shop with an overwhelming amount of business in the last few weeks had gradually slowed to a manageable number, all of New Orleans's culturally diverse holidays and festive feasting that had happened over December, coming to a close.

It was on said Tuesday morning, the ding of the little silver bell above the glass-paned door of the shop ringing out, that a young, dark-haired man with dark eyes and bronzed skin dressed in a butchers uniform was alerted from where he sat behind the counter of the shop. With his head down, focused on a piece of paper below him, he called out to the supposed customer in a cheerful manner, one that would have prompted a smile from almost anyone.

"Je serai d'accord avec toi!"   
The man spoke quickly, head still down as he continued to scribe upon the paper, checking boxes that accounted for all of the store's inventory, something that he'd been doing all that morning.

At first, Anthony was distracted by the products to have been able to fully notice the employee of the shop that was behind the counter. That is until the man spoke, of course, pulling Anthony back into his current situation.

"L'habituel?"   
Going under the presumption that this customer was a regular, they usually were, it was as the man looked up from the counter and was greeted by someone unfamiliar, that his usual way of greeting new customers came into play. 

The blonde paused once he processed that this man was _also_ speaking the language he didn't understand.  
"Erm...."  
That seemed to be the only thing he managed to say as his eyes darted around the shop for _something_ ; literally _anything_ that could help him miraculously understand.

Standing up, the corners of his bright smile pushing up his cheeks, the man grinned. He supposed he hadn't been quite expecting a tourist, let alone a youngin to suddenly walk in the door- it certainly wasn't the season for it, that was for sure. The suitcase, fair complexion, and features, not to mention the style of clothing as well as the rather lost look that the boy wore upon his face, all told the employee that he was not from around here. Well, mainly the suitcase and the map he coincidentally held in his hands, but this man liked to consider himself somewhat observant.   
"Ah, my apologies. Can I help you?"

Once the man noticed him and switched to English, Anthony visibly relaxed and almost sighed.  
"Grazie Dio..."  
He muttered to himself.  
"Yeah, uh, just wonderin' if y' could point me in the direction of..."  
He had to pause again, putting the closed map in between his hip and arm so his free hand could freely fish out the folded paper with his destination.  
"The St Charles Hotel?"

Stuffing the paper back into his pocket, Anthony looked back up at the employee. He noticed this man was quite tall and well-groomed- aside from the bit of blood on the apron he wore. That didn't bother Anthony though.   
Who _hasn't_ gotten a bit of blood on them before? Seriously. Being raised in the environment he had been, blood was far from abnormal.

Another thing about this man Anthony noticed was the smile. There was something about it that he couldn't quite place. Then again, he was extremely out of it. There was no place for observing or admiring another man in such a way during these times. He was here for a job and that was it. No time to get distracted no matter how sleep-deprived and hungry you were.

The employee raised his chin as the other spoke, immediately picking up on the accent he spoke with and noticing that this person wasn't necessarily a child. No child traveled alone nor had the kind of money to stay at such an upscale hotel such as St Charles.  
"I will say, I certainly wasn't expecting any tourists this time of year."   
He replied with his unfaltering smile.  
"Yes, I know it. Quite an exceptional hotel."

Moving across from the counter towards a small room off to the side of the main shop floor, the man quickly came back with a glass of water in hand, passing it across to the customer. He'd noticed he looked rather dehydrated, having come from wherever he had.

"If you're able to wait, say, ten minutes then I can walk you there myself. It might perhaps be more useful than giving confusing directions."   
It was just as well that this employee's shift was almost over for the day, the St Charles Hotel only being a small detour away from the direction of his home.

Anthony couldn't help but raise a brow as a glass of water was set down in front of him on the counter and then back up to the taller man. This was abnormal compared to how people acted back in New York, obviously leaving the blonde a little thrown off.

Weighing his options for a moment or two, Anthony finally took the glass with a curt nod.  
"Thanks. I guess I ain't gotta reason to decline your offer."  
He stated before taking a sip of the liquid provided.

This was extremely strange, needless to say. No one that Anthony knew of was ever _this_ nice. Back home, if you showed up asking for directions within the city, nine times out of ten you'd be insulted in some way or another _before_ being given what you asked for, and then probably insulted again before you left and _especially_ after. It didn't matter how polite or rude you were.   
New Orleans, so far, was indeed a very strange place and entirely new territory.

Anthony was quick to finish the glass of water, having been parched, set the glass down on the counter again, and started heading towards the door.  
"I'll wait outside for ya. Gotta have a gasper real quick."  
He said as he pulled his cigarette case out of his pocket along with a match.   
Anthony wasn't sure what the rules were here nor did he want to be rude by smoking in a shop that he had little to no business at in the first place.  
He did appreciate the kindness he was shown though, even if it wasn't much.

Taking the glass back, the employee too gave a nod to the smaller male as he turned to step outside.   
"I won't be long!"   
And with that, he moved back over to finish up his paperwork.

A few minutes passed before once again, the silver bell above the door dang, another employee stepping into the establishment, the man greeting him warmly with a smile. It wasn't long after finishing his shift that the man was hanging up his apron and grabbing his jacket, pushing the door to the butchers open and setting his Panama hat upon his head before stepping out, nodding in the direction of the boyish tourist he was to lead to the hotel.   
"Now, if you're ready, it's just this way. We're fairly close."

Anthony looked to his new acquaintance once he made his appearance, now near finished his cigarette as he kept it between his lips, picked up his suitcase and coat with a nod to signal he was ready.

Just a small 'thanks' was all Anthony was able to really say, unsure of how to carry a conversation with someone outside of his family and the business they took part in.   
How exactly did people outside of that upbringing and environment talk to each other? What did they even talk about?   
Anthony didn't have a damn clue which really brought out the underdeveloped social skills in him.

As they walked, the Italian made sure to take note of the streets and any distinguishing buildings that might be of use later to help him navigate his way around with the last bit of brain capacity he had left.   
He also wanted to take note of how to get back to that shop from the hotel so he'd be able to go back when he was refreshed and give proper thanks.

The butcher walked along the streets with care, a slight spring in his every meticulous step, as if every movement was planned on his part. He was more or less silent, mirroring the behavior of the man beside him, however, he did decide to strike up a conversation when they were two or three streets away from the well-known hotel.

"You have a name I suppose?"   
The man asked, briefly looking across and down at the shorter man at his side. Perhaps he simply wasn't one for conversation, which was of course fine.

Even at this time on a Tuesday, did the streets of the beautiful French Quarter not cease to be crowded with people of all sorts, automobiles, and horses pulling wagons dividing the two sides of the street; and as there usually were on every street corner, the small display of orphans and children playing amongst themselves with various toys always brought a slightly wider smile to the butcher's face.

Anthony looked up at the other taller man once he asked his question.  
"Anthony. But 'cha can call me Tony if y' want. I'll respond t' either one."  
He replied, his attention back to observing his surroundings and the people around them.

If he was honest, he wasn't sure if that was the right name to give. Anthony's father never said anything about which name to provide so the Americanized version that was on the identification he had with him would have to do. Not that it mattered. He'd be going home once all was said and done, never looking back or returning.

The man nodded in response as they turned a street corner, the destination of the distinctive hotel now simply at the end of the street, truly a wondrous landmark of New Orleans, contributing to the beautiful skyline of the city.   
The simple fact that this man was staying there told him a lot.

"What about you?"  
Anthony continued, figuring the small conversation wouldn't hurt.

The man told his own in return, slowing his pace down to extend his hand out to the other to shake.  
"Alastor. It's a pleasure to meet you, Anthony!" 

Anthony hesitantly took Alastor's hand with the one that was free. Something he noticed right away was the size difference of their hands. Anthony himself was quite small in comparison; Alastor's hand seemed to almost make it disappear entirely, not to mention the strength he possessed. 

Alastor grinned, attention quickly shifting from the side of the road over to the man now known as Anthony.   
"And if I may, what brings you to New Orleans? Tourist season has been and gone I'm afraid, haha!"   
He was mainly trying to pry more than anything, being the fairly curious person that he was.

"Here for a bitta business. Mostly leisure though."  
Anthony shrugged once they let go of the handshake.   
"Wanted to see the world a bit before I really got into work 'n stuff, y' know?"  
He decided to add. It wasn't a _complete_ lie. He did want to see some things outside of his home city before his initiation took place and he would be bound to New York until the day he died.

Businessmen in particular, Alastor knew, and wealthy people in general usually were those to be fortunate enough to stay in the St Charles Hotel, so it certainly was interesting to hear Anthony's reasoning for staying there.

"See the world, yes, I can imagine that's quite exciting. I've never left this city myself."   
He explained, gaze wandering back over to the street in front of them, a figure coming towards them suddenly catching his eye as being someone that he knew; and as the figure slowly moved closer though the crowd, Alastor's grin grew, his chin raising as he stopped just off to the side of the pathway, pausing along with Anthony.

"Rosie, my dear, such a delight seeing you!"   
Alastor addressed a tall and slim, well-dressed woman as she stopped beside the two of them, looking up from underneath a large garden styled hat, adorned with flowers, ribbons, and feathers. Her outfit wasn't uncommon by far, many women still opting to dress in the style of the earlier part of the century, conservative woman especially.

Anthony stopped as Alastor did, flicking the remains of his cigarette away having finished with it before looking to the woman with a slightly raised brow. He never fully understood how women could wear so many layers as it was, but in this climate, even if it was almost January, how she wasn't crawling on the ground from dehydration. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know what it would be like during the warmer months.

"Alastor! Fancy meeting you here. Will I be seeing you later tonight?"  
Rosie asked with a bit of a wink and a grin that almost matched Alastor's, something that Anthony found interesting. They were clearly excited about something that was likely happening later on. Maybe that was the reason for Alastor's kind behavior?

Alastor's grin seemed to widen at the woman's words, the man nodding once firmly.   
"Why yes! Certainly sounds like berries to me. I'll meet you at, say, seven."

"Wonderful! I see you've made a new friend! Rosie, a pleasure to meet you."  
The woman smiled sweetly, extending her hand towards Anthony.

The smaller blonde male smiled a little in return and carefully took her hand, binging her knuckles to his lips for a quick polite kiss. That was how he was taught to greet a woman at home, after all.  
"Anthony. Nice t' meet 'cha."

Rosie's head seemed to tilt ever so slightly.  
"Such a gentleman! You're not from around here either. Is Alastor your personal tour guide now?"  
She questioned with a bit of a playful giggle.

Alastor watched as Anthony introduced himself to Rosie politely, something he knew Rosie would appreciate of course.   
"A tour guide? No no, Rosie you think so little of me! I'm simply showing this man to his hotel. N'Orleans is a big place after all."   
He replied with a hint of a wink, tone slightly smug as he heard his name being called behind him, Alastor tipping his hat in the direction of yet another acquaintance as they walked on by. Clearly Alastor was well known amongst this part of the city.

"Always the charmer, Alastor, dear."  
Rosie replied.  
"I shan't keep you any longer then. Do enjoy your stay here, Anthony."  
She added with a nod in the blonde's direction.

"Yes ma'am. Thanks."  
Anthony smiled with a nod before looking back towards Alastor again, Rosie taking her leave and continuing her walk down the street.

The two of them were silent for a moment after continuing on their journey, Alastor pointing into the near distance at a brick building at the end of the street- the St Charles Hotel.

"'S that your lady?"  
The smaller male asked the taller with a bit of a smirk, continuing the way they were headed.

As Anthony asked his question, Alastor had to pause a moment, brows raising.   
"I understand it's usually quite rude to discuss a woman's age. However, I will quickly say that _Rosie_ is old enough to be my mother. No, she is not my lady. Simply a very good friend of mine. Then again, perhaps calling her mine is something of a compliment, given my age."   
The man chuckled. Most people around the city knew who Rosie was, so Alastor supposed it was quite funny for somebody to presume such a thing.

Anthony was tempted to pry a little but reminded himself that he was tired and that he wasn't there to make friends. He needed to rest and start working soon after.

"Ah, right. Gotcha."  
He nodded a bit, biting the inside of his cheek to keep himself from talking much more about the subject.

He could see his destination nearing, a massive wave of relief washing over him. The train wasn't the best setting for a nap or any sort of rest for that matter, so to be so close to an actual bed was going to be the greatest blessing to him so far.  
Of course, Anthony's sister would understand if he chose to rest before calling her if it came to that, however, his father might be a whole other story.

A few moments later and they were standing outside the large, grand building of the hotel, a few people milling around the entrance inside it seemed.

"Well, here we are! The St Charles Hotel! If you need any help with directions in the future, I'm quite positive anyone around will be more than happy to help you."   
Alastor smiled, nodding in Anthony's direction as they stopped outside of the large canopied entrance.   
"Enjoy New Orleans while you're here. It's really quite something else."

"Yeah, I'm seein' that. Thanks again, pal."  
Anthony smiled a bit, extending a hand to shake Alastor's again.   
Subconsciously he just wanted to see the size difference again. Once giving one last nod in thanks and the handshake was over with, Anthony turned towards the building again and made his way inside so he could get to his room.

Walking inside was an experience all on its own. The interior was quite lavish and well kept.

Anthony walked up to the reception desk and pulled out the piece of folded paper, reading out the confirmation number when he was asked for it.

The receptionist looked over everything and confirmed the reservation.  
"Quite a ways from home, Mr. Ragnatela. If there's anything we can do for you, please let us know."  
The man smiled, passing a key over to Anthony.  
"Fifth floor, room two hundred and ninety. It'll be on your right at the end of the hallway."

Anthony took the key and gave a nod with a polite smile.  
"Thanks a lot."  
With that, he made his way to the elevator where another employee stood tall and proud, awaiting guests. Normally he would have been all about taking the stairs, but for obvious reasons, he felt that he wouldn't be able to make it up to the fifth floor by foot.

"Fifth."  
Anthony stated as he stepped into the small room, the man giving a nod before closing the doors and started the machine, taking them up to the desired floor.   
Anthony could feel himself starting to really feel the exhaustion kick in now that he was _so_ close.

Tipping the elevator operator, Anthony made his way down the hall and followed the numbers to his room, using the key to unlock the door and stepped inside with a heavy sigh as he dropped his belongings, locking the door behind him again.  
The small Italian then made his way to the rather large bed and flopped down onto it, melting into the soft and fluffy bedding with a big tired smile.   
It wasn't long before he found himself embraced in the arms of deep sleep that he didn't even try to fight.  
  


The streetcar journey that took Alastor all the way from St Charles Avenue to his home just over half an hour away, in the Bywater district of the city, was a fairly peaceful ride as it always was. Alastor had the scenery that passed by perfectly memorized.

Once the car came to a stop at his desired street, it was only a matter of minutes before Alastor was walking up the front porch of his mother's home, a spring in his step as the cheerful man whistled a tune, opening the door and stepping in.   
This Tuesday was one of his mother's only morning shifts that week at the Charity hospital where she worked, the majority of them being night shifts, it was always nice to be able to spend part of an afternoon and evening with her where she wasn't sleeping. Her shifts were always provided weekly; never was one week the same as another.

The two of them lived in a nice neighborhood and in a fairly nice house too- there was never any trouble around and the neighbors, despite all knowing each other, everyone got along well. Having worked long hours as a nurse for so many years, and without a husband providing any income for her, Amélie Levesque managed to get by along with her only son, even if life wasn't ideal.

Alastor was greeted by the sound of running water in the bathroom and the sound of his mother's voice calling out to him.  
"Alastor? You're home late. Is everything alright?"

She sounded somewhat frantic as she started packing the household medical supplies away.   
Work was not exactly good today, but she would make it though. This wasn't the first bad day she had and it definitely wasn't going to be the last. She was well aware of that.

"Ah Mama, you know me. I got caught up on my way home!"   
Alastor called back as he took off his jacket and hat, hanging them both up by the door and removed his shoes before he made his way slowly up the stairs to greet his mother.   
"I have quite the story to tell you. Well, I suppose it's not _that_ exciting. However, it is a-"   
Alastor paused, stopping in his tracks as he came to the bathroom, seeing his mother in the midst of packing away what looked to be the medical supplies.   
"-story... what's wrong?"   
There was clear worry behind his tone as he stepped further into the room, pulling out the cabinet drawer that the supplies were kept in and looked them over a bit.

With a simple smile and shake of her head, Alastor's mother straightened out her sleeves so that they covered her arms properly.   
She had been home for about an hour now so she had time to change out of her nurses uniform and into something a little more casual with her long dark hair down from the usual bun she kept it in.

"Nothing at all, dear. A story though? You've caught my interest. Dinner will be ready soon so you can tell me all about it at the table."  
She smiled and swatted Alastor away from the drawer and supplies; knowing he'd notice a few things missing.  
"Come on now, go change out of those clothes and come down for something to eat."  
She was doing her best to keep her son from getting suspicious, not wanting him to worry or get upset as she shooed him out of the bathroom and walked past to make her way back to the kitchen.

Pulling his gaze from the cabinet, having noticed a few things out of place, Alastor gave his mother a nod. He knew her better than anyone, and despite her efforts to not raise any suspicion, it ultimately hadn't worked. Alastor was _very_ suspicious now.   
"Alright. I won't be too long. I hope your day at work was pleasant."

From there, Alastor moved to his room, a simple space that had everything he needed in it. Dark red patterned wallpaper adorned the walls, matching with the dark oak furniture in the room. It didn't take him long at all to change into less formal attire that he would wear when meeting with Rosie later on that evening too.

Amélie knew Alastor was a smart boy and picked up on her efforts easily but was grateful he didn't pry.

Setting the table for the two of them, she checked their meal before shutting the stove off, removing the pots, and pulled the dishes required to serve the food. It was nothing special today, usually saving the special and favorites for Sunday's. Today was just a simple gumbo, a mix of French and West African rooted dish consisting of a thick stew served over rice.

With a soft hum of a tune, Amélie brought the bowls over to the table before moving back over to the stairs to see that Alastor would be along.

The smell of his mother's cooking filling the house was always welcoming in every way, Alastor breathing in the smell as he opened his bedroom door and began to make his way down to the table, mouth practically watering.

"This is wonderful as always, thank you, mama."   
Alastor smiled at his mother as he took a seat.

"Of course. Now, you said you had a story for me?"  
She smiled back, picking up her spoon and began mixing her food to help it cool a little bit.

"Did you finally meet a girl you like?"  
She pried a little while hinting at her desire for Alastor to meet someone, get married, and provide grandchildren for her to cherish and admire.

At the mention of his story, Alastor nodded, taking a bite of the meal before beginning.   
"Ah yes, my story. I'm sorry to disappoint mama, but it involves no woman. Besides Rosie, who I ran into on my way home- she's quite well and we plan on meeting tonight."  
Alastor of course knew what was expected of him fairly soon. Many people who he'd grown up with, and those a few years older, had already found their partners, some even already married. Being almost nineteen, it certainly wouldn't have been unusual for him to start looking for a woman; and he knew his mother desired grandchildren in the future.

Amélie had to hold her tongue and keep her smile present when Rosie was mentioned. She was far from a fan of that woman, knowing something was going on with her.   
Rosie too was widowed but the circumstances of her husband's disappearance raised red flags in her mind. Rosie did have a daughter though, and Amélie did hope that Alastor would chose her over anyone else.

Smiling as he decided to let his food cool for a moment or two, Alastor looked across to his mother again, a brow raising, something catching his eye that he hadn't noticed before and it worried him.   
"But... before I tell you what happened today, why don't you tell me what happened with _you_ today?"   
He slowly yet calmly asked, looking his mother in the eyes.

Amélie was pulled from her thoughts once Alastor pushed the conversation back in her direction, her smile faltering for a moment.  
Before she could speak, her son had picked up on something she thought she hid.

"Mama, why do you have a bruise on your wrist?"  
Alastor prodded again.

Letting go of the spoon, Amélie quickly made sure to bring her sleeves down a little more.

"Nothing notable happened at work. Mr. Batallier came in to do his usual rounds and see if there was anything the hospital needed; the usual things."  
She replied, keeping her eyes down on the table.

Alastor's eyes narrowed, focusing on his mother's body language, the way she wouldn't hold eye contact for a second as she told him that 'nothing notable' happened at the Charity hospital that morning.

"And does Mr. Batallier often stop by the nurses of the hospital he funds?"   
He asked, taking a bite of his food before slowly reaching out for his mother's hand.   
"Mama, please show me your arms."

Mr. Lawrence Batallier was a well known and affluent investor amongst Crescent City. Not only did he own a few businesses across the city, but he was also the Charity Hospital's main money fund, visiting frequently as the hospital's investor.

Amélie took a breath and shook her head as she began rolling up her sleeves. Marks and bruises of different sizes and colors, some old and others fresh and not fully developed laid out on her skin.

"It's really nothing Alastor, and even if it was no one will listen. If they did, I could potentially lose my job."  
She stated, giving Alastor a quick look before putting her sleeves back down again, eyes staying on the table.  
"Now please just focus on your food before it gets cold."  
Her voice was quite soft, not seeming to have the energy to argue over the matter.

Alastor's eyes widened at the sight of purple welts that sank into his mother's bronzed skin all the way up her arm, some visibly older due to the yellowish-green color that they appeared to be. However, for the most part, they were fresh, leaving Alastor to wonder what had happened to his mother to leave her with such deep bruising and marks.

His gaze slowly rose to meet his mother's, now noting how visibly tired she looked. She was clearly in no state to be discussing this, and if she was injured somehow, then Alastor certainly didn't want to stress her out by making her talk when she obviously didn't want to.  
Nothing more was said on Alastor's part as he lowered his head, returning to his meal.


	3. Chapter 3

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Wednesday, December 29th, 1920  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

When seven came around that night, Alastor still met up with Rosie, and after their evening together, some anger had definitely been released. However, his mind was not at ease. In fact, Rosie's suggestions over what could have happened to his mother only made Alastor all the more livid. 

Due to the fact he had fallen asleep the moment his head hit the pillow the previous day, Anthony awoke bright, early, and refreshed, wasting no time in getting up and showered. The hot water did feel really nice, being clean from the adventures of the previous day washed away and set for the new adventure ahead. He was then quick in grabbing his suitcase for a fresh new set of clothes, making sure to keep his gun, ammunition, and bottle of alcohol hidden within the rest of his clothes.  
Anthony once again didn't wear anything fancy, the only thing that he brought with him in terms of formal wear was for his return home. It was after getting dressed that he remembered he didn't call his father before hitting the sack. He was lucky to be in such an upscale hotel because only they had phones in the individual rooms.  
Walking over to the phone once he was dressed, picking up the receiver, and giving the operator the required information for her to direct his call. Shortly after a stern and gruff voice came through that was unmistakably Anthony's father.  
"Ragnatela."

"It's Anthony."

"Why didn't 'cha call yesterday?"

"Sorry. The trip drained me, Pops."

"How was it?"

"Fine. Nothin' of significance."

"Good. Make sure y' start work today. There's still a lotta info t' get."

"I know, don't worry. I got everythin' under control."

"Don't let the family down, Tony. Y' know there's a lot ridin' this deal. I want y-"  
Anthony's father seemed to be interrupted by a loud female's voice coming through the phone, obviously Molly, Anthony's twin sister.

"Papa! Is that Tony on the phone?!"  
A blonde young woman loudly called out as she came bursting into her father's office, hair half done up due to being pulled away by the sound of the phone ringing.

"Oh, papa you _must_ let me speak with him if it is!"  
She nodded, honey-brown colored eyes shining in the early morning light as she dashed over to where her father had the end of the phone to his ear.

Although her twin hadn't been gone long at all, she still missed him dearly and had already come up with a plethora of topics to discuss with him when he eventually did call.  
The two of them were very close, almost inseparable at times, and Molly absolutely treasured the bond she had with her twin brother. Her relationship with her older brother was something a little less close, but that was to be expected- they weren't twins after all.

Anthony could practically hear his father flinch and roll his eyes over the phone.  
"God damn it-"  
The father muttered.  
"Make it quick, Maria. He's got work t' do."  
The phone was then given to the twin sister.

As soon as her father let her get to the phone and passed the earpiece over, Molly grinned, thanking her father before her attention was back on the phone and her brother.

Anthony couldn't help but smile, his sister being the biggest thing he missed from home right now.  
As soon as he was sure the phone was passed off, Anthony spoke.

"Hey, Molly. Sorry I didn't call yesterday. Kinda passed out as soon as I got t' my room. How's it goin' up there?"  
He asked as he leaned against the wall and folded one arm over his torso, figuring he might be there for a good few minutes.

She too waited until the room was clear before speaking.  
"Yes, everything's goin' fine up here. Still cold. What's, ah, New Orleans like? Is it good? As bright as people say it is?"  
She asked, leaning herself against the wall too, _knowing_ she'd be talking to her brother for a bit.  
"I know you're there for a job, but, you're so lucky to be able to go. I almost wish papa allowed me to come with ya."

Anthony stifled a small chuckle at all of the questions.  
"I wish you coulda come too. Because I was so tired I didn't get 'round t' seein' much but it's definitely warmer here. Not even a hint of snow. People are real nice here too."  
He replied, answering as many of Molly's questions as he could.  
"It ain't home though. Already miss ya."  
He decided to add.  
"Hopefully this'll be quick and I'll be home in time for our birthday. Wouldn't wanna spend that away from ya."

Molly smiled a little, nodding after Anthony spoke despite the fact that her brother couldn't see her.  
"I have somethin' planned for our birthday the minute you get back! It's a special one this year after all. Even if papa and Gio are grumpy about all my ideas for our birthday, we're doin' somethin' whether ya like it or not."  
It was often difficult to keep spirits so high within the Ragnatela household, but somehow Molly managed to still do it.

There was a knock on the office door not too long after, Molly sighing.  
"I promise we'll talk properly soon, yeah? Papa's rushin' me, so I've gotta go."

"'Course. Talk soon."  
Anthony replied with a bit of a sigh before ending the call. It was nice to hear his sister's voice again even if it wasn't the same as it would have been in person.

He then moved toward the window and opened it to check and see what the weather was like.  
Still warm with streetcars running along the streets and people socializing along the sides.  
Anthony stood there for a few moments to take in the view of the city and comparing it to home, then moved along to finish getting ready for the day ahead.  
Putting his fedora on, pocketing his cigarettes, some cash, notebook, and pen, Anthony left his room and locked the door behind him.

"This marks the day y' start t' prove yourself, Tony."  
He stated to himself to get a bit of hype going as he made his way down to the main floor and to the street.

Looking around a bit, Anthony decided to find his way back to the butcher shop to see if that Alastor character was working so he could properly thank him for his help the day before.  
Normally he wouldn't do something like this, but he really did appreciate it, and he wasn't at home so his father wasn't there to scold him for wasting time.  
Luckily Anthony was alert enough the day before to remember which way the shop was and recognized it as soon as he saw it.

Swinging the door open, the bell chimed and the small Italian stepped inside, the smell of meat and colder air welcoming him.

In comparison to the day before, the cheerful attitude that Alastor carried had certainly toned down a peg or two. After a rather worrying discovery relating to his mother the previous evening during a meal with her, it left Alastor with a sinking feeling and some building anger to top it all off. 

Alastor had gone into work earlier than usual the next morning and with a new supply of meats having been delivered to them, Alastor had been slicing, dicing, and butchering all morning.

When the bell to the store rang out, Alastor dropped the meat cleaver he'd been holding as he made his way out to the front of the store, blood staining his apron and specks upon his face.

"Can I help?"  
He called out, pushing his hair back out of his face with a hand he'd just wiped upon his apron.

Anthony was looking around the shop at all of the different items and products the shop carried when the familiar voice rang out. It carried a different tone from the previous day but it was unmistakably the very person he came to see.  
The blonde was looking at a special kind of spice mixture he hadn't come across before as he replied.

"Just the cat I was lookin' for."  
He then set the small glass jar down.  
"I wanted t' come by and give a proper thanks for helpin' me yester-...."  
Just as he was speaking, Anthony turned to the taller man, taking in his appearance, voice becoming more and more distant with each second of taking in the sight.  
"...day..."

There stood Alastor. Blood soaked. Hair a bit of a mess and pushed back out of his blood-speckled face.  
Something inside of Anthony fluttered. His heart jumped and not in a bad way.  
The way the morning sun shone through the shop's window and accentuated Alastor's features and the blood literally had Anthony speechless.  
This man was... _breathtaking_.  
He supposed he didn't notice any of it before because... well, he was sleep-deprived and wasn't able to retain much information.

"I'm... sorry. I didn't mean to uh... i-interrupt anythin'. Um."  
Anthony still had no words. He'd seen things like this before but never had he felt like this. Then again, maybe he _had_ but pushed it all so far down that he forgot; but _this_. This was too much to ignore.

Alastor would admit, he wasn't exactly presentable looking the way he did right now, covered in blood and all. He'd perhaps put a little more force than usual while butchering the meats that morning, and hadn't been as careful to not get the blood all over him.

"Anthony."  
Alastor nodded, following the other's gaze as he looked him over.  
"And what perhaps brings you here today? Did you not have business elsewhere during your stay?"  
Alastor did notice though, that Anthony certainly looked more refreshed then he had the day before. It was amazing what sleep could do a person.

Anthony was still trying to keep himself together, eyes plastered on Alastor.  
"I was just... venendo a- I mean... comin' by to uh... thank you for your... help... ieri- erm... yesterday."  
Even his language processing was malfunctioning.  
He felt the need to run but he was stuck in place; not that running would solve his panicked mind anyways.

This was it. Now Anthony knew and was ready to admit something he had refused to acknowledge until this point. Nearly eighteen years of suppressing and avoiding his true and honest desires and all it took was seeing a man dripping with blood in the morning sun.

Alastor paused, not really sure what to make of the man in front of him who had suddenly lost the ability to speak it seemed. As he looked down at himself, he presumed he knew the reason why.

"Oh, I do apologize. Does the blood bother you? I hadn't meant to get it everywhere."  
Quickly turning around, Alastor removed his apron and backtracked into the side room off the main store, washing his hands free of blood before returning to Anthony.

"Now, what was that again? I couldn't quite hear you the first time."  
Alastor knew of a few squeamish customers who had caught him in the midst of bleeding out an animal or skinning it, so it certainly wasn't the first time he'd encountered someone like this.

"Oh, no no blood don't bother me! I'm just-"  
Anthony stopped himself there and cleared his throat, forcing himself to look away now so he could return to rejecting and suppressing his true thoughts as the man excused himself.  
This interaction was not going as planned and it _really_ didn't look good for Anthony. If anyone caught wind of his thoughts and feelings, he would be done for. Not to mention what would happen with his family if they found out.  
"Forget it. Just wanted t' thank ya properly for yesterday. That's it."

Alastor waited, that smile still plastered onto his face as he let Anthony explain his reasoning for returning. It seemed all it was, was to thank him for his help the previous day.  
"Ah, well that's no problem at all!"  
The butcher nodded. 

Anthony looked to Alastor again and took a breath before hesitantly pointing to his own face to help guide the other to where there was still a bit of mess.  
"You still got some uh... blood there."

His smile faltering slightly as Anthony gestured to his face, Alastor wiped the side of his cheek with a palm, chuckling lightly at the sight of blood that came off.  
"Oh, haha. Darn stuff gets everywhere."  
Briefly showing his palm to Anthony, Alastor quickly turned around again and made his way to the side room to wash his hands free of the blood, hoping none had gotten in his hair.

"Anyways... you have a good day now Anthony. In fact, I hope you have a swell time here in Crescent City!"  
Wiping his hands down on a clean white apron as he tied it around his waist, Alastor moved back towards the counter, smile wide once again as he nodded at the other man.

The way Alastor said Anthony's name didn't help the matter either. That smile was almost always there too.  
"Oh, right. Yeah. I'll uh. See ya 'round then."  
With a tip of his fedora, Anthony took his leave, exiting the butcher shop with that image engraved into his mind, however, it was now time for him to get himself together and start mapping out the city so he'd be able to properly scope and follow the target.  
Pulling out his notebook, Anthony looked over the notes of the information he was given before he left home.

He was out mapping everything out until the sun was low in the sky, then found his way back to the hotel and started gearing up to find the target and learn about his habits and routines.  
Anthony was sure to wait until the streets were dark before going out into the night. After sundown was going to be his best bet of catching any evidence seeing as this man, Lawrence Batallier, worked all through daylight hours.  
On a Wednesday night, Anthony was informed that the target liked to take an evening stroll in one of the nearby parks only a short walk from the hotel. Whether he would actually be there or not was a different story.

As Anthony stood just off to the side of the entrance of the park, casually smoking a cigarette and looking as unsuspecting as he possibly could, he did see Mr. Batallier approaching the park.  
Glancing down at his watch, he took note of the time and waited a few moments before slowly following the target, keeping a safe distance, and observing his every move.

Alastor was... fidgety to say the least. The weather wasn't cold in the slightest, but as he walked through the evening streets, a chill crept up his spine regardless.  
He'd worked until late that evening and from closing the butcher's store around half an hour ago, he still had yet to go home. There were first some things he had to take care of.

Alastor remembered every word of what Rosie had told him the night before. After he'd informed her of his mother's suspicious injuries and the rather out of the blue mention of Mr. Lawrence Batallier on Amélie's part, Rosie had given him her own opinion on the matter.  
It was a given that her speculation wasn't pleasant in the slightest, however, it was certainly what Alastor needed.  
Without any firm reason to believe that Mr. Batallier had been the one harming his mother, he simply couldn't just go out and confront him. No, there was no passion in that. Harm without firm reason wasn't fun, and it wasn't like his mother was going to be telling the story of what had happened any time soon, so for Rosie to speculate and fill in those blanks? That was perfect for Alastor. If he visualized what could have happened, then that was enough for the entertainment to _really_ be set in motion.

And if the accusation was wrong? Well, an opinion wasn't all that Rosie had given Alastor the night previously. She had a friend who knew Mr. Batallier well, and from what she'd told Alastor? The man was no good at all. It was common knowledge around the city that the wealthy investor took Wednesday evenings to walk around the greenery close to Congo Square, and so that was exactly where Alastor found himself currently, cigarette held between his lips as he strolled around. He had no real goal in mind here, he just wanted to see.

Even at this time of night, there were many people out as they usually were, however around the square was fairly quiet. Alastor observed as he slowly walked along the square, eventually coming to a bench where he decided to perch at and wait for Mr. Batallier to stroll on by.

Anthony made sure to stay in the shadows, especially when he noticed Batallier and another man approach each other. Sticking close to a tree, the Italian watched closely to see if he could see if this had to do with his family's business.

He was still a way away, so he couldn't hear _exactly_ what it was they said to each other but an exchange was made. It might not have been obvious to someone who didn't know what to look for. It was a quick pass-by-pass-off.  
Anthony's eyes narrowed a bit, catching a glimpse of the item passed off but he knew it wasn't alcohol. If it wasn't alcohol then the other option was drugs.

He was informed that this man had close connections with the hospitals here, so he'd likely be able to get access to their stores if he asked for it. He wasn't sure if this was part of his business here, only aware of the alcohol distribution. This would be something he'd report to his father in a letter later seeing as operators were able to hear conversations had over the telephone.

Anthony was able to assume that maybe the drugs were just a local hustle, not leaving the city, therefore not even coming close to his family.

Once the two men continued on their separate ways, Anthony took a breath and continued as if he hadn't seen anything, keeping his fedora covering the upper half of his face as he continued his walk down the path.

It must have been around ten minutes or so before Alastor eventually caught a glimpse of the man he was interested in learning more about, however, there was another just off in the distance slowly approaching; and when the two men got close, after a brief and very quickly apparent conversation, they were off. Strange. Alastor had been told that Batallier took to Congo Square on Wednesday's merely for a walk. Not whatever _that_ was, and to be quite honest, Alastor couldn't have cared less what was going on there. It wasn't any of his business.

But even so, as Batallier began to exit the park, Alastor stood, flicking his cigarette away before slowly following from a distance out of the park.

Anthony pulled out his notebook and pen that he had with him as he trailed behind the target, figuring this would be enough information for one night so if he lost him there was always going to be the next few weeks to months to come to get more.  
His footsteps were rather quiet, having been trained to be light on his feet for jobs that required stealth. It wasn't entirely necessary here, but it was uncontrollable now.

The small blonde was so involved with his note and trying to figure out if it was something to address to his father. It was the moment he concluded that he would bring it up briefly that he walked right into someone, the shock of the impact causing him to fall back into the ground, pen, notebook, fedora, and even his wallet now on the ground as well.

"Guarda dove st-"  
Anthony stopped as soon as he looked up and saw the man he had spent the entire day trying to forget about.  
There he was again. Anthony Ragnatela was _once again_ speechless and frozen in place, breath absent. It seemed the universe wasn't about to go easy on this poor soul and torment him with his immoral and unacceptable attraction.  
What was it about this man, in particular, did he find so fascinating and... dare he say striking? Even that didn't define his thoughts.  
It could be any number of things.  
His height, build, his attitude, his smile? The list seemed to be infinite.

Alastor hadn't heard anyone behind him, and he wasn't really expecting anyone to be behind him either until it was too late, and the impact of someone bumping into him from behind had Alastor stumbling forwards slightly, tutting in annoyance as he regained his balance and turned around.  
"Hey-"  
He paused.  
Anthony? That certainly raised some questions, but regardless, Alastor realized that some of the other's belongings had fallen to the ground upon the impact.  
Slowly kneeling down, Alastor grabbed the wallet, pen, and notebook, leaving the fedora for Anthony to pick up, since it was more or less beside him.

"I do apologize. People don't usually walk down this street at this time."  
He responded with a bit of a raised brow, handing the items back over to the other, using his other hand to offer an arm back up again.

Anthony watched Alastor closely; closer than he was watching Batallier it seemed.  
He carefully took the items that were held out to him and tucked them away in his pockets again before he grabbed his hat, all while keeping his eyes on the taller man.  
He didn't know what to do. He didn't know if it was a good idea to accept the help or if it would be rude to decline. He didn't know if he was able to handle the physical contact. 

Whist waiting for Anthony to take his hand, Alastor quickly glanced over his shoulder in the direction that Batallier had been walking. It seemed thanks to this little inconvenience, he was now long gone.

Needless to say, Anthony's mind was racing but it was also completely blank at the same time, leaving him in an almost dazed state, just looking at the hand that was offered to him.  
Was he breathing? Was this some sort of stupid dream? Anthony didn't have the answers to literally anything.

It was rather confusing to Alastor, the fact that when he turned back around again, Anthony was simply staring at his hand, slightly dazed it seemed. Perhaps he'd hit his head when he'd fallen.  
"Are you hurt?"  
Alastor asked, taking it upon himself to grab Anthony's hand and pull him up himself. 

As soon as the contact was made, Anthony's body completely froze and tensed.  
Yes, they had shaken hands before, but that was before Anthony was able to really take in any details. Now that he had the chance to really see Alastor, especially covered in blood, Anthony was having major panic. Not a familiar kind of panic either.

"Hello? Anthony. _Anthony_."  
The man repeated a little louder, waving a hand in front of the shorter man's face.

The blonde then blinked a few times, shaking his head as he forced himself back into a state where he could speak and process the world around him.

"Sorry. I... didn't see ya..."  
Anthony spoke as he brushed off his hat and put it back on his head then proceeded to brush himself off a bit. At least it was all English this time.  
"Che cosa siete- I mean... what 'cha doin' out so late?"  
Scratch that last bit and, of course, he didn't think that question through.  
For starters, it was none of his business what Alastor was doing. Secondly, he lived here. He was able to do whatever he wanted. Thirdly, it was probably just as weird for _him_ to be out and about so late at night, not being from anywhere near this city.

Now Alastor was starting to think of Anthony as quite strange.  
"Uh, I don't speak Italian, sorry. And I'm out on an evening walk."  
He began slowly, letting go of Anthony once he was up on his feet, taking a few small steps back. The staring was quite odd. Despite the few languages that Alastor did know or could somewhat understand, Italian, unfortunately, was not one of them. He could recognize what the language _was_ , but, ultimately didn't understand a word.

"I suppose I could ask you the same? If you're looking for all the night entertainment, this certainly isn't the place to be. More towards the river is your best bet."

Anthony gave a curt nod, forcing himself to look away now, noticing the fact that he was staring at the other.  
"Right. I was just exploring a bit. Couldn't... uh... couldn't sleep."  
He replied, eyes now on the ground as he rubbed at his neck in embarrassment.  
This _really_ wasn't good. Anthony wasn't going to get anything done if he ran into Alastor again. He'd have to be more observant if he was to be successful with this assignment and make sure he wouldn't run into this man again.

Alastor too gave a slow nod in return, trying to turn to walk away, but ultimately just staying where he was, facing Anthony.  
"Right, well, I think I should get going now."  
Pointing in the direction that he'd been heading before he'd lost Batallier, Alastor finally began to walk away.  
"Again, I apologize for knocking into you. Goodbye, have a pleasant evening Anthony."  
With that, Alastor turned around and began walking away again, fixing his jacket and hat slightly, planning on returning to his home now since his other plans had been somewhat foiled.

"Right. Yeah. That was my fault. I'll be seein' ya."  
Anthony replied, now watching Alastor as he turned and began walking.  
He really hoped he wouldn't be seeing him again, having worked so hard to get where he was. He couldn't just let something as simple as a singular man bring all of his hard work to halt.

Anthony stood in the same spot for a few minutes to recollect himself before heading back to the hotel, Batallier completely escaping his thoughts for now.

It wasn't long after the quite strange encounter with Anthony that Alastor was back at his home, one continuous streetcar journey later.

His mother wasn't at home, instead working a Wednesday night shift that would last until the early hours of Thursday morning, so that left Alastor to himself as he entered the home and removed his jacket, hat and shoes, heading straight up for his room. He had no current appetite, so food could wait.

In his room, the large oak bookshelf that stood on the wall beside the back window of the room was one that was filled to the brim with books of all sorts. Some stories, some small written works of his own, and the occasional filled journal that Alastor had written for himself over the years amongst a plethora of other books upon the shelf.

Striding over to his desk against the window, Alastor emptied his pocket of his cigarette box and matches, chucking them to the side as he tiredly slumped down on the chair of the desk, head falling into his hands. He didn't know what to think anymore after recent events involving his mother. Even right at that moment, to know that she was potentially unsafe. It left him with a horrible feeling. One that he just wanted to _rip_ out of him.

After taking a few moments to breathe, Alastor reached out for a cigarette, striking a match against the side of the matchbox and lighting it up, holding it between his teeth as he leaned down to one of the desk drawers and pulled out a leather-bound book with a pen. From there, he began to write under the dim light of a metal desk lamp, the smoke easing him to some extent.


	4. Chapter 4

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Monday, January 3rd, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

_January 3rd, 1921_

_Since arriving in New Orleans, Batallier has been very active. T-_

Anthony stopped his note, took the paper, and crumpled it into a ball with a small groan. He couldn't think properly. This letter was going to his father so it was expected of him to use code, just in case someone of authority managed to get a hold of the letter and stick their nose in business they weren't supposed to.

Since the run-in with Alastor last Wednesday, Anthony's free time was only consumed by this man plaguing his every thought. It didn't help that while he was scoping the target, Anthony would occasionally see the taller man lurking about.  
He couldn't be sure if he was spotted himself, but that was the least of his concerns. His birthday was quickly approaching and he wanted to be home before then, not wanting to miss the traditions he and his sister would take part in together.

Taking a drag of his cigarette before beginning a new draft, Anthony took a deep breath to gather himself once again.  
  


_January 3rd, 1921_

_Target has been spotted numerous times as a dope peddler as well as hooch. Found at a local gin mill one to two times a week. Target does not seem to be the violent type. Quiet. It does not look like the kind to be heeled._  
  


Anthony had to pause again, his mind wandering back to Alastor yet again.  
Why?  
_Why_ did he have to find him so intriguing? _Why_ did Alastor have to have such a dashing smile and always be so well maintained?  
_Why_ did Anthony even care in the first place?  
The night prior, Anthony had a dream that consisted of that morning after his arrival. Alastor in the shop that morning. So rugged yet elegant. Pristine.

Setting the pen down on the small table located in his hotel room, Anthony stood up and made his way over to the window, taking another drag of his cigarette as he opened it. It was getting late, the sun setting in the east reflecting off of the Mississippi River which could barely be seen from over the few other buildings between the hotel and said river. A beautiful sight altogether, if Anthony did say so himself.

"C'mon, Tony. Gotta focus here."  
Anthony muttered to himself as he watched the horizon.  
"Pops is expectin' that letter. The longer it takes ya, the longer you'll be stuck here with _him_..."

This was starting to make the blonde's head hurt. Trying to figure out how to move past Alastor and keep his mind set was near impossible and he was starting to come up with reasons why.  
Closing his eyes, Anthony tilted his head back as he began to dive deeper into the depths of his mind to try to figure out why this was happening. He had no other choice right now.

A scene from his childhood was almost immediately present as he thought back to the first time he suppressed and refused to acknowledge that he found men appealing.  
  


Anthony and Molly were in the kitchen, around twelve or thirteen years old, the female twin trying out a new recipe for a cake while their father and older brother were out doing who knows what.  
Anthony was looking through some form of media, the newspaper perhaps, coming across an illustration of a dashing looking man with a woman. He couldn't remember what the topic was for it, his mind focused entirely on the man.  
The way he was put together just caught Anthony's eye and didn't seem to let go. It confused him, how well this unknown man was able to capture his attention and hold it for so long.  
It also might have angered him to an extent because he knew that he wasn't supposed to see another man like that. It was unheard of and completely unacceptable, so why did he still take an interest?

It was quite often that her father and older brother would leave the twins alone in the house, left to their own devices, so over the years Molly learned to pass the time with hobbies and such. Baking especially became one of Molly's more successful fleeting hobbies when she was around eleven. Having learned the basics of cooking not long before that, it was only a matter of time before her phase of baking cakes and sweet treats began- some more successful than others.

"Do y' think it needs more sugar?"  
The blonde girl asked her twin, flour covering the surfaces of the kitchen and most of her face from where some had 'accidentally' spilled earlier.  
"'Cause I can't really tell. You gotta tell me what ya think before I cook it, Tony."  
She asked again, this time turning around with a wooden spoon in hand, holding it in front of Anthony's face; but it didn't seem like he was listening, too caught up in his own thoughts as per usual.

"Tony. Tony. _Anthony!_ "  
Yet, as quick as her desire to learn to bake came, Molly was also quick to spot when there was something just off with her twin.

Startled, Anthony jolted and closed the newspaper, practically throwing it away out of reflex as if he'd been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to be.  
"What?! I wasn't doin' nothin'!"

It took him a moment to remember where he was and what he was doing before he got caught up in his unacceptable daydreams.  
Blinking a few times once his eyes landed on Molly, he sighed and relaxed again, putting his face in his hands to try and hide his probably red cheeks from embarrassment.  
"Sorry... what was the question again?"  
He asked, rubbing his face and let his hands trail up to run through his hair as he sat up straight.

Shoving the wooden spoon into her brother's hand, Molly gestured towards the cake batter in the bowl before her.  
"Sugar. Tell me if this needs more sugar."  
She sighed, eyeing the newspaper that had just been thrown across the room.  
"Somethin' interesting in that newspaper? Somethin' bad happen again?"

Whatever had happened, the fact that her brother's cheeks were red said it all. Molly had a feeling that it wasn't some newspaper article that Anthony had zoned out on.  
That was one of the first times that Molly had sensed something off with her brother. Something secret. Something that not even she could have guessed.

Anthony looked at the spoon for a second before registering the request.  
"Oh, right. Right."  
He then hesitantly licked the batter off of the spoon, his upper lip lifting slightly as he cringed.  
"More sugar. _Definitely_ more sugar."  
He stated.  
  


Anthony opened his eyes again, shaking his head.  
Something told him that maybe it was earlier than that. It had to be.  
Closing his eyes again as he took another drag of his cigarette, he started to look back again. Deeper this time.  
A new scene coming into his mind now, a little hazier than the last.  
  


The earliest years of his life. No more than seven years old, maybe a little younger.  
He and Molly were in their shared bedroom, helping their nanny go through their clothes to see what still fit them and reorganize their wardrobes.  
Anthony could remember the nanny well. Her name was Dorothy, but they couldn't say that when they were little; saying 'Dorifee' instead, so they shortened it to Fee. She was the replacement mother after their mother died.  
Anthony didn't like thinking about this incident, it being something that heavily impacted him. Molly too.

Molly and Anthony looked even more alike, despite being fraternal twins.  
Molly was close with their nanny after her mother died; Fee was the only parental figure to look after her and Anthony when they were kids. Their father was usually off on business and was always cold when it came to the affection of his children.  
Being schooled by their nanny at home, during the days and hours that they weren't working, Molly remembered often playing dress-up with her brother, Fee helping them. It was a fun way to pass the time.

Anthony held up one of Molly's dresses to himself and started swishing it around.  
"Look at me, I'm _Maria_. I'm a _girl!_ "  
He laughed, teasing his sister a little.

Dorothy gave a small laugh.  
"You're a very beautiful girl, Tony."  
She then checked her watch, stood, moved Molly off of her lap, and set her down on the chair.  
"It's about time for lunch. I'll get on that. You two keep up the good work and I'll be right back."

"I don't sound like that."  
Molly laughed, nudging her brother's side as she stood from the chair once Dorothy had set her on the chair and left the room.  
"And you _can't_ be a girl, Tony. Because you have short hair. But I think Fee's right, you would be pretty as a girl. _Almost_ as pretty as _me_."

"And you'd make a pretty good boy if you had short hair."  
Anthony replied with a grin, appreciating the compliment from his sister. It was as Dorothy left that he got an idea, starting to take his shirt off and put the dress on out of curiosity.  
"You really think I could be a girl if I had long hair?"  
He asked, straightening out the skirt a bit before looking at Molly.

Molly giggled as she watched her brother put on the dress, it fit him pretty well since, at that age, the two of them were near enough the same height and build.  
"Sure I do! You're lookin' real pretty in my dress too."  
She smiled, moving towards her closet of clothes and pulling out one of her hats before returning to Anthony and putting it on his head.  
"There. Now y' can't even tell that your hair ain't long! You almost look like me."

Anthony couldn't help but smile and look down at himself. He really did enjoy this even though he didn't really know why. He felt comfortable; like nothing about this was wrong, though he had a feeling that if his father or Giovanni caught him like this they wouldn't be so accepting of it. He wasn't even sure about what Fee would say. He hoped she would have approved, seeing as she was a big and positive part of his life.

Anthony then tilted his head and grabbed a shirt from the wardrobe, holding it up to his sister.  
"Because _I'm_ the _girl_ now, _you_ have to be the _boy_."  
He smiled.

Molly looked at the shirt before nodding with another laugh.  
It wasn't long before she looked more or less like Anthony, wearing his shirt, pants, and suspenders, a cap on her head to keep her hair up too.

Taking her brother's hand, they moved to stand in front of the full-length mirror in their room.  
"Now that you're a girl, that means you'll have'ta marry a boy someday, Tony. And I will be the man of the house! I wonder if Fee will be able to tell that we swapped, haha."

Anthony couldn't help but smile at that thought. Marrying a man.  
"You'll have t' marry a girl then."  
He replied, swishing the skirt a little.  
"Let's go see if Fee can spot the difference! I'll bet tonight's dessert she can't!"  
He laughed a little and started pulling Molly to the door leading to the hallway.

Following her brother as he pulled her out of the room, they soon began to make their way down the large stairs of the house.  
"What! But I _also_ don't think she'll be able t' spot the difference. How 'bout we team up and steal Gio's dessert instead? You ain't gettin' mine."

For Molly at least, this was just a bit of harmless fun. The two of them were kids, barely seven years of age, so who could blame them for this?

"I like that idea better actually. Let's do it!"  
Anthony grinned as they made their way down the stairs and into the hallway on the right, the kitchen located at the very end on the right. He and Molly pushed the door open and burst in, Dorothy in the midst of her cooking.

She looked up from the kitchen island with a big smile for only a moment, not long enough to notice the difference in the twins' attire.  
"You want to eat in the dining room then?"  
She asked.

"Okay, we'll be in the dining room."  
Molly almost giggled, taking her brother's hand again and started pulling him out of the kitchen. 

Anthony had to hold back his laughter, looking at his sister in disbelief that their idea might have actually worked.

Once the doors behind them closed, Molly spoke.  
"Oh my god, Tony! It worked! She's not suspecting a thing!"

From there, the two of them made their way across the hallway before arriving at the dining room, opening the double doors.

Anthony couldn't help but laugh as well, the biggest smile on his face that could have ever been.  
"Can't believe it!"  
He exclaimed as they entered the dining room, Anthony suddenly stopping in his tracks at the sight of their father sitting at the head of the table where he always sat, reading the newspaper and smoking a cigar.

They knew the rules their father had in place. He liked peace and quiet, so when they were around him, he expected such. It didn't seem to matter how old they were or what they were doing.

Anthony was quick to shut his mouth and bite the inside of his cheek to help suppress his excitement, silently walking to the table with his sister and sat in their usual seats beside each other to the left of their father.  
As soon as she noticed who was already in the room, Molly too was quick to quiet down, a smile still on her face though. 

Giovanni entered shortly after the twins and sat across from them on the right of their father.  
Giovanni was near sixteen at that time, so he was beginning to work closely with their father in the business, being shown how everything worked and such.

With a raised brow, the eldest brother looked at the twins in front of him.  
"The hell are you two wearin'?"  
He asked, gaining the attention of the man at the head of the table.

"They're wearin' clothes. Leave 'em al-"  
Their father paused once he looked at his twin son and daughter, having to do a doubletake, now lowing the paper a bit.

After silently sitting down, she slowly looked across at her brother, grin widening a little. 

"Dunno what you mean, Gio. I think Molly looks awful nice today."  
The girl giggled a little louder, however, her laughing slowly died down once she noticed their father looking between her and Anthony with furrowed brows as if he was hoping that his eyes were playing tricks on him.

Everyone in the house knew what their father was like, _especially_ when something displeased him. In Molly's opinion at least, it was quite frightening.

Anthony kept his eyes down on the table, not daring to look at his father or older brother. He didn't have to, simply _feeling_ the judgment radiating from them. _Hearing_ it, even. Of course, it was mostly directed at Anthony, Molly being seen as the innocent angel that could do no wrong just because she was a female.

"Antonio Angelo Ragnatela, what in _God's name_ do y' think you're doin' wearin' your sister's clothes?"  
The tone in his father's voice was eerily calm only because there was a lady in the making present.

Anthony sunk into his chair, shoulders raising as if to prepare himself for impact of some sort.

Dorothy came into the dining room with lunch for the household, smiling as she placed the meals down.

"Dorothy, would y' be so kind as t' tell me what my kids are doin' wearin' what they are?"

The woman looked to the head of the house for a moment, smoothing out the skirt of her dress once all of the plates were down.  
"I'm sorry?"

He began to rise from his seat, removing the cigar from his mouth. Henry Ragnatela always stood tall and proud, six foot four at all times when he was standing straight, except there was something in the way he was holding himself that made him ten times more intimidating and fearsome.  
"You were with 'em this entire time. So tell me. What are Antonio and Maria wearing?"

While Molly knew that her father wouldn't target his harsh words at her, that didn't mean she wasn't afraid for her brother. Whenever something went wrong, it was always Anthony who was blamed. And as much as Molly hated that fact and tried to pile the blame onto herself at times, their father _never_ listened.

Dorothy looked up at the massive man compared to her own tiny frame before looking to the twins, her eyes widening when she noticed their attire, beginning to usher the two children out of their seats and to the double doors leading to the hallway with a gasp.  
"You two get upstairs an-"

Anthony didn't hesitate, getting up from his chair and running as fast as his little legs could carry him but stopped once his father spoke again, looking back over his shoulder.  
As soon as Dorothy told them to go upstairs, Molly was right behind her brother, pausing to look back over her shoulder too as her father spoke to their nanny.

"No, Dorothy, they can do it themselves. I want 'cha outta this house."  
He spoke, voice still very calm.

"Mr. Ragnatela, I-"

" _Now_."  
Henry boomed, practically growling which made literally everyone within earshot jump.

"Fee... no."  
Molly whispered, clearly upset. Not just by the booming voice of her father, but because Dorothy had just been told to leave. It had happened before with people around the house, and they never came back.

Reaching out for her brother's hand, Molly gave it a small squeeze, the two of them stopped completely.  
"Papa... It was me. _I_ dressed Tony and me up, Fee didn't even know."  
She spoke, her voice small, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

Anthony held his sister's hand, watching silently.

Both Henry and Dorothy turned their heads to look at the twins, tears forming in Dorothy's eyes that matched the small childrens' before turning to the man of the house, who clearly wasn't listening to a word his daughter was saying.  
"I promise, Mr. Ragnatela, I won't let it happen again, just... please don't make me go. They still need me. _Please_ , sir."  
Her voice was cracking despite her best efforts to keep herself strong.

"No, I think you've done enough. Get 'cher things and get out. You've got twenty minutes."  
Henry replied simply, not sitting again until after Dorothy had her moment to think and started exiting the room, putting a hand on either of the twin's backs, leading them out of the room.

"Come along, darlings. It's alright. Go get changed and come down for lunch."  
She stated calmly, helping them down the hall and up the stairs.

"Fee, I'm sorry... this is my fault."  
Anthony spoke up, turning to their mother figure once they were on the top stair.

"No, little Tony, don't worry. Everything will be okay."  
Dorothy stated, kneeling to the twins, looking between them with a saddened smile.  
"Remember you're both very strong and you are loved. You are special and you are going to do great things. I know you will. Be there for each other no matter what. It's time for Fee to go, 'kay?"

Anthony let his tears fall freely now that he was certain they were clear of their father.  
"Fee please don't go..."  
He cried softly, hugging the woman as tight as he could.

Molly turned hugged Dorothy at the same time.  
"You _can't_ go... who's gunna read to us?"  
She asked, tears also falling freely as she tugged on their nanny's dress.  
"If I promise to never wear boys' clothes again, will papa let you stay?"

Ever since their mother died, Dorothy was the only one who'd been able to take that role in the twins' life. She'd known them for a while now, and while the twins knew her as their nanny, they also loved her.  
"Please don't go like mama did..."  
  


Anthony's brows furrowed, not wanting to remember all that happened next. He was given the belt and then he and Molly were moved to separate rooms that night, Molly took on the role of cooking and cleaning with the help of the last two maids of the house before they left a few years later as well.

Anthony felt tears in his eyes again as he finished the cigarette.  
Dorothy was never seen, heard from, or even spoken of again after that. That incident changed everything. He lost all hope in having a normal and happy life and only believed in what was expected in a mafia family.  
His father aimed to teach him a lesson by getting rid of their mother figure like she was nothing... he hated to say it, but it worked.

The blonde's eyes opened again, seeing that the sun had set and the moon was now shining in its place. He didn't bother to bask in it, now having his mind set on writing down his thoughts and try to figure himself out instead of doing his actual job for tonight.  
He owed it to not only himself but to his mother, sister, and Dorothy to get himself reorganized.

Anthony was up until dusk writing everything out, listing everything he hated about his home life, everything he remembered from his childhood good and bad, and everything he wanted to happen.  
Ten full pages were used, front and back.

The last thing he wrote was 'to love another man without being chastised.'

After everything was written down, he was finally feeling a little more at ease now that everything was on paper and not clouding his subconscious. No one would ever read these pages. He would make sure of that by burning them later. For now, however, it was time for him to get some rest and reset his mind so he could get back to work the next evening and get that letter to his father written and sent off.


	5. Chapter 5

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Tuesday, January 4th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

For a couple of days now, the celebration of Le Réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre, otherwise known as New Year's Eve, was over. Every year within New Orleans was the celebration usually big, all different cultures and people getting together to celebrate the coming of a new year.  
Alastor had been surrounded by friends, strangers, and of course his mother, and as it always was every year it was simply a delight.   
There was music, fireworks being let off over the Mississippi, and of course, there was food. Lots and lots of food.

But now, the morning of January 4th, things had died down a little.   
Alastor, as he opened up the butcher's that morning, had his usual bright smile upon his face. In light of the recent celebrations, his paranoia over his mother's safety had certainly gone down. He'd been so busy over the past few days that he'd barely had a spare second to think about Mr. Batallier and all of the information he'd managed to gain on him and his movements across the city every day of the week; but, to think that Batallier was in the clear was a foolish thought. Alastor still despised the man and while his thoughts had been elsewhere over the past few days, that didn't mean that any plans he had made were completely thrown out the window. They were still very much there.  
  


Anthony found that he wasn't nearly as tired as he'd first thought. He managed to sleep for a few hours, but it seemed to be enough for now. Since he was unable to sleep any more, he got up and get himself ready to go out.

After his little nap, Anthony had forgotten about his vent spill on paper, leaving it on his desk for the time being. His mind was reset and back to its normal pace, assuming that his little episode from the night before was just from the pressure of his current job.

Making it out to the street, the Italian started making his way to see an acquaintance of his, just wanting to see him again. Of course, there was absolutely no plan to this whatsoever, so it was as he entered the shop, the bell sounding, that Anthony realized how stupid he was about to look for just showing up without the intent of buying anything or having anything to really talk about... _again_.

He froze, weighing his options for a moment or two, thinking he'd look kind of stupid walking into a shop and then immediately walking out again, not to mention that the bell had rung, alerting those who were inside of his presence and there was absolutely no way of taking any of that back.

Alastor was in somewhat of a cheerful mood that Tuesday morning, working at the back of the store this time as he hung up some meats and sorted some other by date within the cold room.   
Hearing the bell as soon as it rang out, Alastor removed his gloves and quickly washed his hands before walking out to the front of the store with a smile.   
It seemed he was just in time in greeting the familiar customer, the man looking as if he was about to leave.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Ragnatela."   
Alastor grinned, leaning against the counter with an elbow, chin resting in his palm as he looked towards Anthony.   
"And what brings you here this fine morning? Are you perhaps going to actually _buy_ something today?"   
There was a slight smugness behind his words, referring to the fact that every time Anthony had shown his face at the butchers, it was never to actually buy any of the produce.

Okay, so _maybe_ Anthony had done this once or twice before. He didn't know why he was doing it though.   
What a _lie_. He was just in an insane amount of denial.

Something caught his attention, in particular, today though.  
"I don't remember tellin' ya my surname."  
He stated.   
He really didn't, then again he could have just forgotten. There was too much going on in his mind for him to really focus on anything specific, which wasn't exactly good seeing as he came here for a job and nothing more. 

Now that was almost a slip-up. Well, sort of.   
Alastor didn't really have anything in jeopardy if he _did_ visibly slip up, but Anthony was right. He hadn't _technically_ given his last name. Alastor had perhaps happened to sneak the Italian's ID at some point, most probably when they'd bumped into each other the first time, and after reading it over fairly quickly, had slipped it back with no problems; all with good reason of course- and that reason was that Alastor liked to know who he was talking to.   
By no means was he a necessarily suspicious man, but after the surely more than coincidental run-ins that he and Anthony kept having, Alastor was rather glad he knew that Anthony was precisely who he said he was. 

"You told me when we first met I do believe."   
Alastor replied.

Anthony let go of the door handle after another moment, figuring he'd been caught and there was no point in trying to escape. Stepping further into the shop, he looked around a bit.  
"Alright well, anyway, I actually _am_ here for somethin' t'day."  
He stated, putting his hands in the pockets of his pants.

The man smiled, moving off of his elbow and straightening up at the mention of Anthony buying something.   
"Oh yes? And what would that be then?"

This was the least thought out plan Anthony had ever jumped into. He was residing in a hotel for God's sake. There were no means of cooking in his room and to ask to potentially use their kitchen for any reason was sure to be a strange phenomenon considering it was an upscale place, meaning ninety-nine percent of the men who visited the place wouldn't cook for themselves unless they were a professional chef or something, even then, hotels were usually places you go to relax during vacations. Anthony was also far from a chef, only cooking at home when his sister couldn't do it.

Taking a gander around the shop again, Anthony paused before looking to Alastor for a brief moment.  
"Whatcha got for sausage?"  
He asked.  
The more he thought about it, the more he hated this idea.

Alastor raised a brow at that, suddenly thinking about this. Anthony was staying currently at the St Charles hotel, and if he was correct, then the hotel rooms, as lavish as they all were- none of them had the means to cook anything. Not even a sausage.

"Well, we have a fair few. Local standard pork sausages, Italian cotechino, French andouillette, smoky, spicy, salty- anything you'd want."   
He began, running a hand along the counter as he moved to the front display where all the sausages were kept.   
"Take a look by all means."  
Alastor paused a moment, watching Anthony as he made his way over.   
"Say... how do you intend to cook anything you buy from here today? Or are they perhaps for another?"

Anthony blinked a few times before nodding.  
"Yeah, that's it. It's for someone else."  
Again. The _worst_ plan he'd even thrown himself into. He didn't know anyone around here so really, this truly was horrible.

"Just the standard pork should be fine."  
He finally decided, pulling his wallet from his pocket now.   
He was given plenty of money for his trip by his father and he hadn't really used any of it unless it was for cigarettes or the occasional meal. He didn't find himself very hungry since arriving, probably the cause of homesickness; maybe something else.

"You're acquainted with people already, hm? And who might they be, perhaps I know them."   
Alastor asked, nodding as Anthony told him what he wanted.

"Mind your business, Smiles."  
Anthony sighed, rubbing his neck.

Alastor couldn't help but chuckle at that, cutting one sausage from the strong, assuming he only wanted one.  
"Smiles?"   
He questioned with a bit of a laugh, bagging the singular sausage for Anthony before moving it over to the scales on the counter.

"Ain't good with names usually so I give people nicknames."  
Anthony explained in more of a muttered tone.  
"How was your holiday by the way?"  
He figured he'd make some sort of conversation, knowing that all of the shops were closed for New Year's celebrations, so maybe something special happened.

"Yes, my holiday was very nice thank you."   
He paused to head into the back to grab a new pair of gloves, putting them on before returning to the other.  
"Did you participate in any of the celebrations happening over the past few days? There was quite a lot going on, I'll say. Perhaps even more than during the tourist season, so you came here at the perfect time after all."   
He laughed.

"I didn't do nothin' for anythin', no. Stayed in my room the whole time. Just another day for me if I'm honest."  
Back home, Anthony's family didn't celebrate anything of significance to the outside world. Birthdays, Christmas, New Years... nothing. Every day was treated the same. Same routines, same jobs, same expectations.   
Of course, Molly and Anthony held at least a little something for each special occasion between just the two of them.   
"What didja end up doin'? Anythin' fun?"

"You're quite serious? You stayed in your boring hotel room during the continuous celebrations of New Year's? Why that's quite... unique."   
He didn't really know what to say to that. Even the few old grouches that he knew around his neighborhood, ones that didn't even like the company of others, even they participated in the events.  
"But yes, it was a fun time alright. I have a feeling you would have liked it."

Anthony gave a shrug, keeping his eyes on his wallet as he started to gather the money.  
"I ain't much of a celebrator. Family's pretty strict when it comes t' that sorta stuff."  
He explained.  
"Didn't really know y' had anythin' happenin' besides the fireworks. Not that I'd necessarily participate either way."  
That's where Anthony bit the inside of his cheek to shut himself up. He wasn't sure if he was making any sense, nor was it anyone's business.

Taking the money that Anthony handed over, Alastor put it into the cash register before passing over the change as well as the bagged sausage.

"Your hotel is located in the one and only French Quarter and you mean to tell me you had _no_ idea something was happening around you? I think that's certainly a shame."   
He smiled, taking a step back once Anthony had taken everything.

There was a moment's pause, Alastor watching as Anthony put his wallet away.   
"Say, hows about we do something after I finish up here. Sounds to me like you're really missing out on the whole N'Orleans experience. Let's get some food by the river. Pass a good time."

Anthony was in the midst of shoving his wallet back into his pocket, suddenly pausing at the suggestion for a moment before looking up at the taller man.  
"You wanna do somethin'... with me? I mean, I guess one night offa work wouldn't hurt."  
Even though the night before was considered a night off too. It was at that moment that he made a deal with himself. If he was to join Alastor that evening, he was to complete the letter to his father and have it sent off _before_ he went out, and afterward, he was to forget about it all and focus on work again.

"Alright. Y' got yourself a plan. D' ya want me t' come here or are ya gunna come to the hotel when you're ready?"  
He asked as he started to straighten out his shirt, actually looking up into the taller man's eyes and held his gaze for the first time, really noticing the shade of brown they were.

Alastor looked up in thought for a moment, thinking about how long until his shift was over and how long it would take him to return home to change.   
"Well, I finish here around five. Let's say I'll meet you down in the hotel lobby just past six."   
He smiled, hands folding behind his back with a nod, looking back into Anthony's eyes as he stared at him.  
"I know a fair few places that have what I'd call the best food down by the river! I'm sure you'll love it. Haha, there's nothing I love more than seeing people experience this place. It's really something else."   
And that was, more or less, the truth on Alastor's part.

Anthony tilted his head slightly. This was an interesting development. To have a local actually _want_ to show him around and give him a bit of experience with the city was the last thing he would have ever thought to happen during his trip.

"Six sounds dandy t' me. See ya then, Smiles."  
Anthony then nodded with a small smile of his own as he backed towards the door. He had to be extra careful not to trip over himself as he did though, his focus being entirely on Alastor until he made it to the door.  
Raising the small bag that was in his hand just as he was opening the door, Anthony was then left on the street with a raw sausage with no way of cooking it.

Alastor watched carefully as Anthony smiled, probably paying a little more attention to detail than he normally would have upon noticing small indents in Anthony's cheeks when he smiled. Dimples.   
Tearing his gaze away from the man in front of him, Alastor gave a small nod as well as a little wave before letting him go.   
"I shall see you then!"  
With that, the silver bell above the door rang and Anthony was gone, concluding their little conversation. Alastor didn't waste a second in going back to work, striding into the back room and continuing on from where he'd left off.

Coming up with a reasonable thing to do with the sausage, Anthony remembered that there were a few stray cats around that he came across once or twice, so perhaps he'd be able to find one and feed it.   
He did have until later that evening to finish the letter and get it sent off, so a little bit of downtime might not hurt his schedule too much. Unless he did both at the same time.   
With that plan in mind now, Anthony started making his way back to the hotel to grab a few things so he could sit out under a tree at one of the nearby parks or something, feed the sausage to a stray and write out his letter at the same time. An easy fix to his dilemma, if he did say so himself.


	6. Chapter 6

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Tuesday, January 4th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Anthony spent the next few hours outside, perched under a tree while he wrote the letter to his father detailing all of his findings since arriving, of course, all in a code they would often use.

Postage would take up to two weeks to arrive in New York from New Orleans, so it was imperative that it was sent as soon as possible.  
He did manage to find a stray cat where he was located and fed the sausage he'd purchased to it. It was a little skittish at first but seemed to appreciate the meal nonetheless, even staying with Anthony and letting him pet it once or twice until he checked the time and had to leave to get himself ready for his evening out.   
  


As per usual, Alastor finished his work at exactly five o'clock sharp, the owner of the shop coming in after him to take care of some extra things around his business.   
It didn't take Alastor long to return home on the streetcar after that, the journey taking its usual just under half an hour this time, Alastor returning home with just enough time to change his clothes and take the journey back to the French Quarter.

His mother was resting in her chair in the lounge, most likely tired after her long shift at the hospital that morning, so Alastor thought not to disturb her, instead, writing a note for her and leaving it on the table beside her. The note simply told her not to worry about food for him because he was eating out that evening and would be home late.

Deciding what to wear for that evening wasn't too hard, Alastor not going too formal with his outfit. Just the usual dress shirt, waistcoat, jacket, and pants. It wasn't his formalwear but still looked nice. Regardless of what day it was, Alastor always liked to look pressed and preened.

After checking that he had everything in his pockets, wallet, pocket watch, and cigarette box mainly, Alastor was off, making sure he was quiet as he left the house as to not disturb his still sleeping mother.  
  
  


Anthony wasn't sure what he was supposed to wear out to where ever Alastor had planned to take him, not sure how fancy it was or otherwise, so as he made his way down to the lobby and saw the one he was meeting, of course, Alastor looked very nice but a casual kind of nice. Anthony, on the other hand, looked like he was... well, about to face his father; wearing the full suit he was going to wear for his return home and his hair slicked and neat.  
He honestly just felt a little ridiculous now. 

Alastor wasn't waiting very long in the lavish hotel lobby, sitting in a seating area as he did wait for a maximum of five minutes or so before Anthony was seen walking towards him.  
Quickly standing to greet him, Alastor grinned as he looked the other over, noticing his rather formal looking attire in comparison to Alastor and slicked-back hair.

"Why, I must say you're looking very dapper."   
He pointed out.

"I can uh... go change real quick-"  
Anthony stated nervously once Alastor had spotted him.

The man chuckled, shaking his head as the blonde tried to backtrack on his clothing choice.   
"No no, if anyone's dressed inappropriately then it's me. The place we're going is quite the bee's knees, so I'm sure the formal wear will be much appreciated."  
Leading Anthony towards the entrance of the hotel, Alastor could only smile.   
"It's just a walk away and it's a wonderfully warm night, so there's no need for the streetcar."

Anthony wasn't sure if he was going to believe that but wasn't going to question anything. Instead, he decided to remove the suit coat, keeping it with him just in case though.

"I hate dressin' like this if I'm honest."  
He stated as he started messing up his hair a little so it wasn't so neat.  
"Anyways, where y' takin' me? I'm actually real excited to see the place y' got in mind."  
The blonde grinned; this being the first time he genuinely smiled since the trip ensued.

Alastor glanced over to the other as they exited the hotel and made it out onto the street. It wasn't like it was cold, so Anthony wearing just a vest would be alright.   
"Well, there are two places that I thought would be nice. It's up to you which one we go to."   
Alastor began, looking around the street a bit, taking in his surroundings. It was still fairly busy, but that was to be expected with it being the day to mark the beginning of the carnival season and all.

"You've got a choice between seafood, or cajun. Both restaurants are, like I said, the absolute best."   
Alastor grinned too, looking across at the other and noticing the shorter man's smile. Something he hadn't properly seen yet, until now.

"Well I ain't tried either one before so, y' know. Which one are _you_ up for?"  
Anthony asked, looking up at Alastor for a moment before looking around the streets.  
"If it goes well, we could try the other place next week or somethin' too. I'm stuck here 'till further notice, so I got quite a bitta time on my hands."  
He explained, putting his free hand in his pocket with the other kept the coat draped over his forearm.

Alastor had to think about that one for a moment. Over all of the New Year's celebrations, he'd mainly been indulging in a wealth of Cajun dishes, so perhaps seafood would be a nice change.   
"Is seafood alright?"   
He asked, the two of them turning a corner, getting closer towards the river now, the streets even busier further up.

"That sounds good t' me, sure. Ain't there a thing called Marty Grass or somethin' happenin' soon too? It was in a book I read through before comin' here."

As soon as Anthony mentioned 'Marty Gass', Alastor had to hold back a laugh at the pronunciation, shaking his head with a bit of a snort.   
"Mardi Gras perhaps? Yes, that celebration will be happening within a month or so. It's even larger than the New Year's celebrations and there's a parade that runs right through the place." 

"Oh, that's how it's pronounced? Well if that doesn't make me feel like a total boob I dunno what will. Completely butchered that, didn't I."  
Anthony chuckled a bit, nudging Alastor a little at his little joke with a wink.

Alastor did however chuckle a little at that as well, raising a brow at the small nudge, but not saying anything ultimately.  
"Perhaps if you're still in the city, you would attend?"

"Yeah, I think I'll be around for that. I'm sure I could make time for it. What's the exact date though? Books didn't give one."  
He asked, looking up at the taller man again for a moment as they walked before his attention returned to their surroundings.

The date varied from year to year, depending on what days some other events landed on, however it was usually always February.   
"I do believe it falls on February eighth this year."   
Alastor nodded, recalling his mother mentioning it to him not too long ago.   
"My mother always gets rather excited for the parade."

Walking along a little further, the river was soon in sight, many people lining the streets and outdoor restaurants filling the atmosphere with something just warm, music playing softly from somewhere around. It was truly a wonderful atmosphere in general.

"Huh. Some coincidence."  
The Italian replied with a small smile. Now he really wasn't sure if he would be around for that. The future was uncertain in terms of how long he would be in New Orleans, but something made him want to stay for the festivities.

"Coincidence? Does that day perhaps some significance to you?"   
Alastor asked, rather curious for some reason despite already having a pretty good idea. He supposed he simply wanted to uncover some more of the mystery that was Anthony.

Once they drew closer to their presumed destination, Anthony couldn't help the awe-struck expression that took over his face, ignoring the question for a few moments. The scenery and the sun on the river was simply amazing.

"You get t' see this all year round? Christ, you're so lucky..."  
Anthony muttered.

Alastor looked in the direction that the other was, gaze falling across the river and the slowly setting red sun that was above it, shadows and light sparkling on the surface of the water.   
"It's really something else, isn't it? This city's beauty is one of my favorite things about living here."

"No kiddin'. It's so... well, it ain't nothin' like New York, I can't tell y' that right now."  
Anthony replied with a bit of a shrug.   
"Almost makes me wanna stay."  
He laughed half-heartedly.  
He knew he definitely couldn't stay. He was here for a week so far and he had already fallen in love with the city. He loved the warmer weather, he loved the people, he loved the culture and he loved the landscapes.   
The change was a little scary at first but it really grew on him. 

Alastor found that rather interesting. For someone who supposedly hadn't even experienced much of the city, Anthony sure did seem to like it and to go as far as to say that it almost made him want to stay? Well, Alastor hadn't ever been to New York, but surely it couldn't have been _that_ bad to make someone not want to go back after merely a week away.

"Sorry. Um, February eighth is the day before somethin' that's usually a big deal t' normal people. Guess y' could say it's just another day."  
The Italian stated, backtracking to the prior conversation they were having before he got distracted.

"Just another day, hm? Why that's certainly quite the gloomy attitude towards things. You don't celebrate New Years, nor supposedly a birthday if I am correct?"   
He tutted in surprise, pointing to a well-lit building at the end of the road that was filled with people surrounding it.   
"For someone so young, I think that's certainly a shame."

Anthony paused, eyes narrowing at Alastor for a moment.  
"Alright buster, what's your deal? Some sorta psychic or somethin'? I _know_ I never told ya my birthday."  
It was strange how this man was finding all of this information about him. He was able to let the last name slide because he wasn't sure if he actually did tell him or not, being so tired at the time, but his date of birth wasn't well-known information by any means. Only Molly and himself really knew and acknowledged it.

Alastor once again did laugh at that one, waving his hand dismissively as he did.   
"Oh no no no, I simply know how to read people, I suppose you could say. It's nothing psychic and all!"   
With that being said though, there was still something smug behind his words if you listened carefully enough, Alastor's grin static as he looked back over to Anthony.

Of course, the only reason Alastor knew these small things about Anthony was because of the ID he managed to take a peek at not too long ago, but he wasn't going to tell that to the man.  
Of course, Anthony wasn't aware of Alastor's swift moves nor when they even took place.

"You're so full of it, Smiles."  
Anthony replied simply with a small roll of his eyes before moving on from the topic and just enjoying their surroundings instead.   
"Anyway. Seafood y' said, right? Can't have much of that back home so I'm inexperienced with it. You'll have t' show me what t' do."  
He said, dismissing the previous topic.

"Yes, seafood. All of this here is where the harbor is, so everything that's brought into these restaurants is more than fresh. That's what makes it so good."   
Alastor informed the other, gesturing to a few docked boats as well as a few more that were off in the distance of the river.  
"I'm sure you'll learn to love it."

And with that, it seemed they'd arrived at the restaurant, music from inside bursting out through the open windows and doors as well as the balcony on the top floor of the restaurant. The well-known restaurant famous for its oysters and beautiful tiles that covered both the inside and out of the building was filled with people chatting away, yet still looked like there was enough room. Had this meal not have been such short notice, then Alastor would have perhaps reserved somewhere.

"Here we are! Casamento's restaurant!"

Anthony looked up at the building and tilted his head a bit. It definitely looked like a lively place and the smells that seemed to be coming from it were all the more pleasant.  
Now that he thought about it too, Anthony had barely touched any form of food since he arrived, only picking up some small things every once in a while. A mix of homesickness and stress was likely the culprit.

"Looks real nice, Smiles. Can't wait t' see what they got."  
Anthony smiled a bit, looking up at the taller man for a moment before heading for the door and opened it for him to go in first.

Alastor thanked Anthony with a nod as he opened the door for him, holding it open for the other once he was in, it closing behind them soon after. Almost immediately was a waiter strolling up to the two of them.

"Table for two."   
Alastor smiled, the waiter nodding before leading them in through the restaurant towards some stairs. From there, they were led to the second floor of the building and out some doors onto the balcony that overlooked the river. Despite not having a reservation, it seemed their seats certainly were perfect.

Giving Alastor a bit of a look, the Italian followed close behind as they were brought through the restaurant filled with people and up the stairs. Once outside on the balcony that wrapped around the entire building, Anthony took a seat and looked out to the river that was quite literally right next to them.

They were then asked what drinks they wanted to start off with and Anthony simply asked for some water as the menus were set down in front of them.  
It definitely crossed his mind that this might have looked a little strange; two men having an evening out together. Especially men who barely knew each other.

Alastor didn't think it was strange at all, two men sitting together. The two of them could have been on a meeting of business for all anyone knew. 

As they were seated, Alastor didn't stop grinning as he took his jacket off, hanging it on the back of his chair. The view really was just stunning.

With the exception of alcohol of all kinds, that didn't mean that there weren't any other drinks that restaurants served, however, for now, Alastor too ordered water.

"Thanks for bringin' me here. I'm actually honored to see all this."  
Anthony smiled, those dimples coming clear as day once again. They were something he was really self-conscious of, so he avoided smiling as much as possible, but he couldn't help it here. This place just seemed to slap the smile right on his face no matter how hard he fought to keep it away.

"You're honored are you?"   
Alastor raised a brow, eyes immediately falling down to the others dimples that deepened with how wide Anthony's smile was. He thought them quite nice since it meant that someone was smiling wide if dimples were present.   
"Well then, it's certainly no problem at all."

Anthony noticed Alastor's eyes move down slightly, causing him to try to control his smile and tone it down so his insecurities would hopefully cease. Not to mention the man's reaction to him stating how he felt about the situation made him feel that much weirder.

Clearing his throat, Anthony picked up the menu and started looking it over.  
"Anyway, what wouldja recommend for a first-timer?"  
The only things Anthony could think to himself now were things like:  
 _'Don't make this weird.'_  
 _'This is nothing.'_  
 _'You're not allowed to like any of this.'_  
 _'You don't like men- HE doesn't like men.'_  
He obviously forgot about that breakdown he had the other night when he wrote down his innermost thoughts.

"I personally recommend either the oysters here, they're very good, the crawfish or the shrimp remoulade."   
Alastor nodded, opening up his own menu and looking through the selection of dishes and their descriptions. There were some that he'd had before and others that were new to him as well.   
"Those are ones that I've tried at least. There are others that I'm sure are just as excellent."

Anthony gave a small nod, looking over the ones just recommended to him for their descriptions.   
From what he could see, the crawfish sounded the most appetizing at that moment in time. Of course, he looked over everything else to make sure that's what he wanted, everything on the menu sounding intriguing to some extent.

"Alright, crawfish it'll be then."  
The Italian finally concluded with a small smile, setting the menu down on the table.   
"So, Smiles, y' think you'll ever travel?"  
A little light conversation wouldn't hurt, right? They were having dinner together, after all. It would be really weird just to sit in silence the whole time. At least that's what Anthony thought.

Alastor, concluding that he would also take the crawfish, closed the menu too and sat back a little in his seat, smiling across at the other.   
"Hm, I don't really know. I have everything I need here, but you never know. I'm still young."   
He began, looking out at the river before returning his gaze to Anthony.   
"And you? Aside from coming all the way down here, of course. Is there anywhere else that you desire to go?"

"Young, huh?"  
Anthony unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt and started rolling the sleeves up before straightening out his vest a bit, raising a brow.

Alastor huffed a laugh at that, leaning an elbow on their table as he watched Anthony unbuttoning his cuffs.   
"Yes, _young_."   
He repeated with a grin, slowly nodding as the other continued.

"I'd love t' travel more but once I get home I'll be too involved with work t' go places. This is actually the first and only trip I'll ever take."  
Anthony continued, trying to sound indifferent about the matter but a tiny bit of sadness crept into his words.

"That's certainly a shame. Can you not take a vacation from this work of yours? I'm sure you'll get a chance to travel eventually if that is what you desire."

"The business don't work like that. It's a year 'round job without breaks. We don't even take time off t' celebrate any holidays or nothin'."  
Anthony replied.  
"That don't matter though. Tell me 'bout you. Seems only fair seein' as y' know _everythin'_ 'bout me."  
The smaller male stated, moving to put his elbows up on the table, intertwined his fingers and set his chin on the bridge they made; body language he picked up from being around his sister so often.  
"And if there's anythin' your psychic powers ain't pickin' up on feel free t' ask. I'll answer _if_ I can."

Now, this really only made Alastor all the more curious as to what exactly Anthony's line of work was, but with that being said, any time it _had_ been mentioned in the past by Alastor, the other had always responded with something along the lines of 'it's none of your business', so Alastor supposed he wouldn't ask anymore.

"About me? Why there's not an awful lot. I simply live here, and you already know where I work."   
He smiled with a nod, and with that, the waiter suddenly appeared back at their table, glasses of water in hand. He set the drinks on the table before asking the two what they'd be ordering.

Anthony shook his head and fixed his posture to be a little more masculine, about to respond but stopped himself once the presence of their waiter came around, giving a nod of gratitude.  
"I'm gunna go with the crawfish."  
He stated, glancing at the menu again for a moment as he picked it up and handed it back with a faint smile. He then looked to Alastor for his answer, eyes slightly narrowed.

Alastor nodded, looking to the waiter with a smile as he handed his menu over as well.   
"Yes, I think I shall go for the crawfish as well. Thank you."

Taking their menus, the waiter nodded as well before walking away, leaving them at their table.   
"And now, I suppose, we wait."   
Alastor laughed, turning his gaze back to Anthony once again.

"Y' ain't gettin' past me that easy. Tell me more 'bout yourself. What's somethin' y' wanna do with your life? Where's someplace y' wanna see before y' settle down with a lady?"  
Anthony pried a bit.   
No, Alastor didn't have that information on him per se, but by this time he was genuinely convinced this man had some sort of supernatural bullshit power or something.

Rolling his eyes with a smile on his face, Alastor slowly nodded, supposing it was only fair that Anthony learned a few things about him.

"Well, it's not something I really thought about. I've been working at the butcher's for four years now, but I suppose I would like to find some other place of work eventually."   
He nodded, reaching forwards on the table to take a sip of his drink.   
"And like I said, New Orleans has everything I need. I again, haven't thought about going anywhere else."

"Well, how old even are you? Y' said 'young' earlier and now you're sayin' four years experience at a butcher's."  
Anthony then brought his own glass of water up to his lips, keeping his eyes on the other to see if he could detect any lies.  
"I'm guessin' late twenties t' early thirties."  
He added before finally taking the first sip, narrowed green eyes still plastered on Alastor.  
It didn't even cross his mind how rude it probably was to ask for his age like that.

As he took a sip at his water again, that was just when Anthony made his rather presumptions statement, Alastor almost choking on the water, bringing a hand to his mouth as he coughed once or twice.

"What? Do I really look that old?"   
He exclaimed as quietly as he could, pausing a moment before beginning to laugh.  
"No no, early thirties? Either I look more tired than I thought, or you're awful at guessing peoples ages. I'm almost nineteen."

It was then Anthony's turn to almost choke, a spit take nearly taking action as water dripped from his chin from behind his hand.  
"I was way off!"  
He quietly exclaimed now.  
"It ain't that y' look old, you're just really mature and generally come off as older than y' are- I didn't mean t' offend you or nothin'."

He then ran his fingers through his blonde locks after wiping his mouth with the provided cloth with wide eyes focused on the table.  
"Jesus Christ-"  
He muttered.

Alastor couldn't help but laugh all the more, spotting a few heads turning in their direction, wondering why the two were choking on their drinks.   
"It's quite alright, really. I suppose I should take your reasoning as a compliment perhaps?"  
Pushing his water further back on the table, Alastor leaned back in his chair, a leg crossing over the other.   
"A compliment especially, because I'm _actually_ in my mid-fifties."

It was then that something inside of the Italian shattered. He didn't know what it was but he very clearly heard the sound of glass breaking but the sound was obviously internal because no one else seemed to hear it.  
He blinked a few times and cleared his throat, sinking into his chair a bit with a mixed expression of confusion and disbelief.   
"Dio, non potrei essere più confuso anche se volessi esserlo... hai un bell'aspetto per cinquanta."  
He stated more to himself, seeing as Alastor didn't speak this language whatsoever, eyes shifting between the table and the man in front of him as one of his hands began rubbing at his cheek and lips while the other arm was situated over his stomach.

Very slowly did Alastor's laughter dim down to a chuckle and then to silence, his expression displaying that of confusion as he looked across at Anthony, studying his face and body language. _Alastor_ may have found that joke rather entertaining, however, it was quite clear that Anthony did not.

Not wanting the rest of their meal to be awkward in any way, shape, or form, Alastor slowly sat up again, leaning around to get to his jacket pocket. From there he dug around a bit before pulling out his wallet and then holding up a small paper card.

"Take a look."   
He sighed, handing the card across the table to Anthony.

Anthony's eyes settled on Alastor then, watching him pull out a card and handed it to him. Looking down at it, the blonde saw that it was a piece of identification.   
_Alastor Jacques Levesque - January 13, 1902_   
That was all he really focused on.

He was quiet for a moment before starting to hand the card back.  
"Sei uno stronzo..."  
He paused again, bringing the card back to look at it once more.

"See, just a year before you. I'm hardly fifty."   
Alastor nodded, taking the card back and slipping it back into his wallet and then into his jacket pocket once more.

"Aye, you're nineteen next Thursday. Whatcha got planned for that?"  
The smaller male asked.

Side eyeing Anthony as he turned back around again, Alastor raised a brow.   
"Nothing in particular. I don't usually do anything for it and I'm not planning on anything this year either."   
He explained, shifting in his seat a little, taking another sip of his water.

Anthony sat back in his seat comfortably again, giving a small sigh as he folded his arms over his chest now.  
"Same with me t- wait a minute. You know the _year_ I was born too? Is there anythin' y' _don't_ know?"  
He asked, brows knitted together a bit as he finally noticed.

If Alastor knew anything else about him, Anthony was sure he was going to be in huge trouble. This was starting to stress him out, so his natural reflexes kicked in and immediately pulled a cigarette from his vest pocket and lit it up.

Alastor hesitated for a moment, mentally scolding himself for being so careless, but, he supposed it didn't matter too much now. Nothing bad had come from it, and it seemed that now Anthony bizarrely regarded Alastor as some sort of psychic.

"Well, truth be told, all it takes is a small peek at someone's identification and all of those things are known. No strange and mystical psychic abilities required."   
He hummed rather casually, watching the cigarette between Anthony's fingers as it was lit up with the match.

"But I never showed anythin' t' ya. Or _anyone_ for that matter. Didn't even need it t' confirm my room."  
Anthony stated, shaking his head a bit like the cigarette between his fingers was waved around a bit, his Italian side showing a bit by talking with his hands and tone.  
"When didja get 'cher lil'-..."  
Anthony paused, looking at Alastor's _far_ from little hands and then to his own smaller hands.  
"...-gargantuan mitts on my stuff?"

Alastor simply shrugged, watching in amusement at the sudden change of voice Anthony had, certainly sounding and looking more like a stereotypical Italian if he was being honest.   
"Well, if you _must_ know, then it was the evening that you first bumped into me at Congo Square and all of your belongings fell to the ground."   
He began, but then, had another thought. Yes, he would steer the conversation in this direction after all it seemed.  
"Speaking of that park, I know you mentioned simply being out for a walk, but quite frankly my good fellow... I don't believe you."   
There was something else behind his words as he spoke, eyes flashing with an emotion behind them- one that Anthony perhaps hadn't seen before from Alastor.

Anthony's brows came together a little more as Alastor continued, that sudden flash of something undefinable in those dark eyes almost made the Italian a little uneasy.   
What even _was_ that? Anger? It couldn't have been that extreme. Maybe frustration?

Even so, the older man had every right to be suspicious. It was far too coincidental that every time the two of them would bump into each other outside of the butcher's, it was just as Alastor was scoping out Mr. Batallier. Now that had come to mind... Alastor was beginning to think that Anthony's business here wasn't for leisure and-

As someone would react to a twig snapping in the silence of a forest, Alastor was startled by the waiter that suddenly appeared by their table, his attention whipping around completely to face the man, his train of thought completely ripped away from him at that moment due to the arrival of their food.   
"Ah, perfect. That looks wonderful."

Anthony was quite aware of what was happening around him, his guard now heightened to the point he could sense the ladybug crawling on his shoe, so he wasn't nearly as reactive as Alastor was when the bowls were set down in front of them.   
Those green eyes stayed focused on the man in front of him, narrowing slightly as his mind tried to figure out what this guy was _really_ all about. Not to mention the fact that Alastor managed to slip a peek into his wallet so quickly and easily had Anthony _very_ impressed and not at all mad about it.   
He had a sneaking suspicion he wasn't just a butcher, though.

"Grazie."  
He quietly said to the waiter with a slight nod, his eyes still very much on the more interesting topic in front of him.

Clearing his throat and quickly coming back to his senses, Alastor shook his head in the direction of the waiter as they asked if there was anything else that was needed, and with that, left them to it.

Set down before them, were two beautifully presented seafood dishes of crawfish and a large empty bowl in the center of the table for the shells, something that was a staple in New Orleans.

As if that previous conversation had never even happened, Alastor spoke.   
"Why, this looks delectable! I told you this place was quite fantastic and I'm sure you can see now that I am most certainly correct, haha! The way these are cooked is truly like none other in the whole world I'm willing to bet."   
He smiled, looking down at the bowl he'd been given filled with the delicious and juicy crawfish.

Anthony supposed he could let the previous topic go for now, but his curious mind was still going to run a bit in the background.  
As he looked down at the bowl in front of him, he tilted his head slightly.  
"So... how exactly d'ya eat this?"  
He asked, setting his cigarette down in the ashtray at the end of the table before picking up his water in one hand and one of the questionable little shelled things in the other, looking it over as he had a drink of water.

"Well, down here we like to say simply pinch the tail and suck the head!"   
Alastor grinned, picking up one of the small lobster-like creatures and pinching its tail, holding it up for Anthony to see.

The moment that brief little... _whatever that was_... Anthony inhaled as if to gasp but forgot he was in the middle of having a drink of water; some of the water going down the wrong way and ultimately making him choke and sputter. _Again_.   
This evening was definitely far from being in his favor.

"Mi dispiace?! Pizzicare la coda e succhiare la testa? È una specie di test fatato che devo superare?"  
He asked, the words naturally fast as he started to clean himself up for the second time since they had gotten their water. He asked in Italian on purpose, knowing Alastor didn't understand. He didn't want to put himself in a spot where he could potentially out himself for his unnatural thoughts.

Almost laughing as Anthony once again choked on his water, he was somewhat glad that no one had come up to their table to ask if the water was poisoned. It may as well have been by the amount that it had been choked upon that evening.

Alastor looked across at Anthony with an expression of confusion, unsure exactly as to what the other kept saying to him in Italian. Alastor had already told him that he couldn't speak it.   
"Is that... alright?"   
He asked slowly, pinching the tail of the crawfish before pushing it in a bit and pulling to expose the meat inside the tail and bringing the head to his mouth before extracting all the juice, fat and spice that had come from it being boiled.   
"Mm, it's delicious."  
He hummed before eating the tail meat.

Anthony hushed himself and caught his breath, watching Alastor closely for a moment and then looked away towards the river, using his napkin as an excuse to hide his cheeks. He could feel them heating up which would _not_ go over well seeing as he didn't have a valid excuse for it.

"Mi ucciderai..."  
He muttered into the cloth, taking a few moments to breathe and compose himself before setting the napkin down again.   
Picking up one of the critters again, the Italian examined it a little.

"So... like this...?"  
Hesitantly, Anthony started doing as Alastor just did; pinching the tail, looked at it for a moment, and then to Alastor with a questioning and slightly nervous expression.

Alastor had already dug into the dish as Anthony looked to him hesitantly, the older male simply nodding as he took another crawfish into his grip, pinching the tail and repeating the action.   
"Yes, precisely. The head of the crawfish is the most flavourful part of all."  
There was a moment's pause where Alastor once again looked to Anthony.   
"If you're worried about doing it wrong, don't. There is no technically 'right way'."

Giving a bit of a nod, Anthony did just as Alastor did, first sucking the head before eating the bit of meat. His face scrunched a bit as the flavors processed and then a pleased look took over.

"Hey, that's actually _really_ good!"  
He exclaimed.  
"Y' get t' eat this all the time?"  
Anthony asked as he tossed the shell into the empty bowl between them, picked up the next, and started to prepare it.

Alastor's smile widened at the reaction Anthony had to the crawfish, clearly enjoying it as he was soon onto the next.   
"Crawfish is a staple down here, so yes, I suppose we do."   
He nodded, putting one of the tails off the creatures down as he drank the remainder of his water.  
"Are there any foods that you're particularly fond of from where you're from?"

Anthony had to think about that for a moment as he finished another crawfish.  
"We don't go out t' eat often. My sister does all the cookin' n' stuff, so I ain't had much of anythin' prepared outside of the house."  
He took a sip of water and started preparing the next crawfish.  
"She does make a real nice Bistecca Fiorentina. That's usually for special occasions though."  
He continued, glancing at Alastor for a moment.   
Anthony really wasn't sure how much of his home life he was allowed to really share, so he supposed that as long as the business or anything surrounding it wasn't mentioned, everything would be fine.

Alastor raised a brow at that, pleased to be learning a little more about Anthony's life for some reason.

"Ah, so the mysterious Anthony has a sister."   
He grinned, bringing another crawfish to his lips.  
"Is she your only sibling? Or do you have many?"

The blonde raised a brow at that, looking at Alastor again as he finished off another. It was interesting how he worded that, calling him a mystery. He could be wrong, but it sounded like Alastor was taking an interest in him.  
Well, if he thought about it, he was constantly around Alastor without meaning to be.

"Older brother and a twin sister. Big ol' family of four."  
He shrugged.  
"What about you? Got any siblings?"

Alastor nodded at that, taking in that information and storing it somewhere, he supposed. Although, it still didn't tell him very much about _Anthony_.

As the question was then directed at him, Alastor shook his head, briefly glancing across at a waiter who was close by.   
"Oh no no, it's just me. I would have had a sibling, however, you know how things go."   
He stated rather casually, picking up one of the last crawfish in his almost empty bowl.

It was no secret to Alastor that his mother had conceived before him, but unfortunately suffered a miscarriage a quarter way into the pregnancy; and if he was completely honest, that didn't really bother him. Alastor rather enjoyed being an only child.

Giving a slow nod, Anthony noticed the other was near finished which then made him look down at his own bowl, noticing he too was a few away from finishing.  
"Ah, gotcha."

No, he didn't really understand what Alastor was talking about, seeing as he wasn't given much of an education when it came to that sort of stuff. He wasn't given much of an education _at all_. Dorothy was his only real way of learning anything outside of mob business, so once she left, that was it. He knew how to read, write, and do some math and that was about it.

"A moment ago, you said 'family of four'. You, your sister, older brother, and I'm presuming one parent perhaps? What happened to the other?"

Glancing to the waiter once more, Alastor quickly managed to wave him down, the man coming over to their table. From there, Alastor simply ordered a soda, looking across at Anthony in case he wanted anything else to drink.

"Oh, just another water is fine for me."  
He stated, waiting a moment for the waiter to leave again and finished his crawfish before responding to Alastor's question.  
"Ma died when I was still real small, so it's just us kids and our dad... sorta."  
Anthony's brows furrowed for a moment, reconsidering how he implied that the relationship between him and his father was at least on some level of good terms when in actuality, it was probably a strong mutual hatred.  
"Us four livin' in the same joint, at least."

With his meal finished as well, Alastor sat back in his seat once more, crossing a leg as he listened to what Anthony had to say, picking up on his tone of voice as his father was mentioned for the first time.

"I'm sorry about your mother. Even if it was a long time ago."   
Alastor responded softly, a small smile on his face now in comparison to the large grin he usually held.

Anthony shook his head and waved his hand dismissively.  
"Don't even worry 'bout it. I wasn't old enough t' really make any life-long memories with her anyways."  
He was trying to play it off as if he didn't care much about it, but in reality, he did. He really wished his mother was still around or at least long enough for him to be able to recall what her voice was like or what she looked like outside of photographs.  
He was silent for a moment, propping his elbows up on the table and covered his mouth with the tips of his fingers, keeping his eyes down on the table for a moment before looking at Alastor again. Anthony took a breath and raised his brows, looking away again.  
"You got both parents around?"

Anthony may have tried to play it off as if his mother's death didn't affect him very much, however, Alastor was almost _too_ good at reading people- _especially_ when it came to a loss.   
But, out of respect and the fact that he still was not close to Anthony, he decided to keep his mouth shut.

As once again the question was then directed towards him, Alastor's eyes narrowed a little as he looked across at Anthony.   
"No, I don't. It's just myself and my mother at home."

"Sounds kinda nice. Quiet."  
Anthony definitely noticed the look he was given and decided to mirror it right back at Alastor to see what would happen; if anything.  
He didn't know what this look was for or why it was given to him.

Alastor simply shrugged, looking away from the blonde and out over the balcony ledge.   
"Yes, it was very quiet."   
He then nodded, reaching around into his jacket pocket again and pulling out his cigarette box and matches. He hadn't meant anything by the look he was giving Anthony, he was simply trying to figure him out. There was something he couldn't quite put his finger on still.

Anthony noticed Alastor use the word 'was' but didn't want to pry into that seeing as it really was none of his business and he wasn't there to necessarily make friends.

Looking away as well, the blonde finished his water as the waiter returned with Alastor's soda, simply asking for the menu again. Truth be told, he was still pretty hungry. The crawfish were just barely enough to satisfy his hunger. Anthony was still a growing teenager, after all, and he did have the money for it too.

"Y' wanna get somethin' else too? I'll pay for all this."  
He stated.

Lighting up a cigarette, arm leaning against the railing of the balcony they were beside, Alastor thanked the waiter for his soda, turning to look at Anthony as he offered to pay.  
"No no, I said we should go out somewhere and you're the one visiting, therefore I pay."   
He insisted, planning on eating something else too.

Giving a bit of a nod, the younger male had to pull his eyes away from his acquaintance and down to the menu he was handed.  
"Alright, if y' say so."

Anthony was then beginning to plot. He now knew when Alastor's birthday was so maybe, just _maybe_ , he would pay him back then.

With his free hand, Alastor opened up his menu, looking through the items once more. There were desserts available of course, however Alastor didn't usually like sweet or sugary treats- he tended to avoid them as much as possible.

Looking through the mains section of the menu again, the oysters caught Alastor's eye. He'd had them before, and they were a favorite around here too.

"I think I'm going to have some oysters."   
He voiced with a nod, bringing his cigarette to his lips.

Anthony literally could _not_ look at Alastor. It was possibly something to do with what he was doing with the cigarette. The way he was holding it.

"That shrimp remoulade sounds pretty good."  
He stated, eyes flicking up to the other for just a second and then back down to his menu before closing it and handing it back to the waiter with a bit of a nod and small smile.

Alastor smiled across at Anthony as he closed his menu and gave it back to the waiter as well.   
"The shrimp remoulade is _perfect_ here, as I'm sure you'll find out."   
The older man nodded, falling silent for a moment, raising a brow as he noticed Anthony not meeting his eyes.   
"Everything alright?"

Anthony raised his brows, looking back at Alastor again.  
"Hm? Oh yeah. Just thinkin'."  
He replied, now looking back out over the river, the moon now in place of the sun, lighting the sky. He didn't notice it before because of the light coming from inside and the lights lining the balcony.

"Say, 'cause you're still young, d' y' know if you'll be a butcher forever? Or is there somethin' else y' wanna do?"  
He asked out of genuine curiosity.   
"Not that it's a bad profession or nothin'. It probably ain't that bad, now that I think about it."

Alastor had to pause a moment or two at that, thinking. He'd been working at the butcher's for four years now and while there were some aspects he wasn't too keen on, for the most part, it was enjoyable.  
"Perhaps. Although, I do enjoy some aspects of the job. Aspects that one wouldn't be able to find in another profession, strictly speaking. There are things I want to do that unfortunately, I cannot. But that's life, my good fellow."

"Oh, I know it, pal. What would you're ideal job be though? If y' could choose anythin' in the world without havin' t' worry about qualifications or nothin', what would y' wanna do?"  
Anthony continued.

Alastor knew very well the answer to that. There was _one_ thing he enjoyed above everything else. _One_ thing that gave him endless entertainment and fun, however? He would not say it tonight.  
"I'm not quite sure. There are so many professions out there these days, you know how it is... and yourself?"

Well, that kind of backfired. Anthony didn't know what he wanted to do. He never really gave it much thought seeing as he knew he was going to be stuck where he was until the day he died; especially once he took the oath. He didn't even know of many jobs available in the outside world.

"I... never really thought about it. Never really had a choice in what I did."  
He replied after a moment, eyes shifting back down to the table again.

Alastor listened carefully, occasionally sipping on his soda before putting out his finished cigarette in the ashtray that was on their table.   
"No choice? What exactly _is_ your job then, if I may? Sounds awfully restricting and quite... I don't want to be rude."   
He trailed off with a small chuckle.

"Can't tell ya what it is, but it's _definitely_ restrictin'."  
Anthony replied tone a little somber, pulling out a cigarette of his own and lit it, the last one having been forgotten and burned out during their time eating.   
"No way out either. Too far in t' back out."  
He chuckled a bit.  
"Was too far in when I took my first breath."

Anthony's eyes stayed on the table for a few moments before he brought his free hand up to rub his face. That was probably too much information to share.  
"Doesn't matter. I'm in. Should be happy 'bout that."  
He then forced a smile, taking a drag of his cigarette and looked over at Alastor again.

Now that was certainly something else. With a bit more research and information from Anthony... Alastor would say he was in the running to guess what Anthony's mystery job was.   
After that little speech from the other, it certainly gave Alastor some insight, and it was certainly... interesting. Perhaps Anthony's visit to New Orleans was going to be more entertaining than he first thought. 

Not letting his expression show that he'd gathered some information from Anthony's words, Alastor simply nodded, taking another sip at his soda.   
"Well then, I suppose this trip here should be about making the most of your free time then. No use spending it in a hotel room."

"Yeah, you're right."  
The smile on Anthony's face became less forced and more genuine the longer he looked at the man across from him. He wasn't doing it on purpose, but he was giving him a look that would be seen when a woman looked at the man she had a thing for.   
His mind was so caught in this moment that he didn't even notice how weird it would have looked.

There was a brief moment or two where Alastor held the eye contact with Anthony, staring with slightly narrowed eyes into those green irises for a second before looking away over his shoulder and then back at Anthony again, only to see he was still staring. It was a weird stare.

"What?"   
Alastor asked, looking behind him once more to see if Anthony was perhaps looking at something behind him.   
"Do I have something on my face?"   
Alastor chuckled, rubbing at his face a little.

Anthony blinked a few times and shook his head, his back immediately straightening.  
"No! No, sorry, I kinda got lost in thought."  
He closed his eyes tightly and rubbed his face before taking another drag of his cigarette.   
  


The rest of their evening together was rather pleasant, Anthony trying new foods and just enjoying Alastor's company, talking about nothing in particular while learning a little more about each other at the same time. He hadn't had a friend before and he was starting to wonder if this was what it was like. 

Alastor would admit as well, he hadn't had a meal that relaxed in a long while- and it was nice.   
From there, he and Anthony just seemed to carry on talking, there not being any awkward silences or any sort of long pauses between the two of them. The conversation just came naturally.

They were there for so long that an employee actually had to visit their table and tell them that they were closing shortly.   
Anthony looked at his watch and blinked.

"Oh, Christ, it's late. We oughta get goin', huh?"

Alastor stood and put his jacket back on, looking down at his pocket watch in surprise as well.  
"Yes, it seems we talked the night away, haha."   
He chuckled.

From there, Alastor managed to flag down a waiter to be handed their bill. Reaching into his pocket once again, Alastor pulled out his wallet and placed the required money onto the plate given to them.   
"I shall walk you back to the hotel if you wish. It's right by the streetcar anyways."

Anthony grabbed his jacket as well, draping it over his right shoulder as he stood.  
"If y' wanna, I ain't gunna stop ya."  
He replied with a shrug and a smile as they started to make their way back down to the street.

"Thanks for uh... y' know, showin' me some good food, Al. It was some of the best I've ever had."  
Anthony finally spoke as they walked under the street lamps back to the hotel, the shorter male looking up at Alastor with a smile.

The street was simply lit by the lamps that lined it. There were fewer people out now due to the time, however, it wasn't desolate. It was never completely empty of people.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all, Anthony."   
Alastor nodded, hands folded neatly behind his back as he walked.  
"And that's only a small portion of the many dishes that this place has in abundance! You should try the cajun dishes, why, your tastebuds may just burst, haha!"

Anthony's smile only grew as his gaze shifted up to the sky and then fell to where he was going.  
"Ha, yeah, maybe next time we can go have some of that then."  
If they did follow through and have another meal together, Anthony would have to make sure he didn't overdress again and that he didn't space out while looking at his newfound friend.

"Yes, perhaps we well."  
For some reason, the premise that he and Anthony would be going out again for food in the near future, it pleased Alastor.

"Say, if you happen to stop by the butcher's tomorrow, I am only working in the early morning. There are a few things I have to take care of in the evening so my shift will be shorter."   
He thought he'd mention it in case Anthony popped into the butcher's and Alastor wasn't there.

"Oh, alright, I'll make sure I'm in early then."  
The Italian replied, putting his hands in his pockets. He wanted to ask what Alastor was up to but figured it wasn't his place to ask.  
"Got anything else happenin' t'night?"

Truth be told, Anthony wasn't exactly tired yet so he figured he would go out and see if he could find Batallier to make up for the time he spent doing other things.

Alastor briefly looked across at the other before focusing back upon the path ahead.   
"No, I shall be returning home after this."   
A lie, but he didn't have to tell Anthony his every move.  
Alastor's plans for that night weren't to do with Mr. Batallier, however, he had some business to take care of with an old friend.

Anthony gave a nod, seeing the hotel in the near distance.  
"You can head off now if y' want. The hotel is just ahead so I think I can handle myself from here."  
He smiled up at Alastor.  
"Thanks again for everythin', Smiles."

Alastor nodded, stopping in his tracks and turning to Anthony.   
"No, thank _you_ for coming along with me. It was a fun time."   
He smiled back.

"I'll see you tomorrow then at the store. Good night Anthony!"   
And with that goodbye, Alastor was off into the night.

Anthony gave a nod and walked the rest of the way back to the hotel, whistling a small tune.


	7. Chapter 7

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Tuesday, January 4th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

With much of the night still to waste, and with a need to talk to an old friend, it was no surprise that Alastor that evening around eleven-thirty found himself outside a house rather close to where he'd left Anthony.

Rosie lived alone with her singular daughter in a rather large home in the center of the French Quarter. From an affluent, conservative family, once her parents passed, all their inheritance was left to her, her daughter, and her late husband. She and Alastor had been friends for many years, much of his life to be precise- Rosie's daughter having grown up with Alastor due to their similar age.

It was late, Alastor was aware, however, he knew that Rosie would not be sleeping; but he still had to be quiet, not wanting to wake her daughter.   
Straightening up his tie as he walked up to the front door, Alastor quietly knocked three times and then stood back, arms behind his back as he waited for the door to open.

It was rare that Rosie would get more than four hours of sleep a night, so she would usually think about sleeping around one in the morning. Of course, if Alastor happened to turn up, she would always be up for his little visits.   
She was a light sleeper, so the faintest of sounds had the potential of waking her up.

It was a few moments before the door was unlocked and opened, Rosie on the other side in her eveningwear and robe, long, dark hair braided and draped over her shoulder.

"Good evening, Alastor. What brings you here this beautiful time of night?"  
She asked with a smile and a slight tilt of her head.

Alastor knew that Rosie was usually up for their occasional nightly visits and outings together, and he had no worries about her being asleep at this hour either.

As the door opened, Alastor smiled back at his friend who stood before him.   
"Why Rosie, I thought I'd trouble you to see if perhaps you'd be up for a walk."   
He explained simply with a nod.   
"It's nothing to get too dressed up over, I simply would like to talk and it's an awfully beautiful night tonight as you said."

Rosie's smile grew as she stepped out of her house and closed the door behind her. She wasn't one to care about what others thought of her, especially when it was late at night.

"I'd be more than happy to accompany you."  
She replied.

Rosie knew that Alastor had quite a bit on his plate and liked to help him as much as she could, even if it was just by listening to whatever he had on his mind. She definitely wasn't the kind to judge and saw Alastor as an equal despite their age difference, having gotten into quite a few shenanigans together since he was just a boy.

Rosie would take care of Alastor when his mother had to work and she couldn't find anyone else to do it. She was well aware that Alastor's mother didn't like her, and frankly, Rosie didn't like her much either; but she knew that Alastor loved his mother, and rightfully so. Amélie was a very hard worker and things for her were far from easy.

Walking closer to the street, Rosie looked to Alastor.  
"What's on your mind this evening?"  
She asked.

Alastor knew all too well that Rosie was not one to judge or care if others judged her. She was a strong-minded woman who also saw the importance of smiling- something that Alastor had learned to appreciate over the years.   
Holding out his arm for the older woman, Alastor turned to her. She may have been in her evening wear, however, the streets were quieter now. And Alastor didn't plan to take them walking too far.

"Well, it's quite funny actually."   
He began, the two of them slowly strolling.   
"You know the man I mentioned. Anthony? He's awfully strange and I can't quite put my finger on why."

"Anthony? Yes, you were showing him to St Charles when we bumped into each other last week."  
Rosie was a bit surprised that this was what Alastor wanted to talk about, having thought he wanted more information on Batallier or something in regards to him.   
"You know as well as I that strange can be rather fun, however, I feel you don't quite see it that way in this case."

Alastor did smile at that as they crossed the street, not walking anywhere, in particular, simply wandering.  
"While yes, I admit that strange is entertaining in the best of ways, this certainly is different."

And, as Rosie had probably expected this conversation to go, it was then that the subject of Mr. Batallier was brought up.   
"I'm slowly being led to believe that this mysterious Anthony has some connection with, or at the very least knows of Lawrence Batallier."   
And that was something of an issue.

"During my 'research' on the man to see where he'd be on each and every day of the week, I'm quite positive of it being no coincidence that Anthony has shown up every single time. He's hiding something, Rosie, and I'm beginning to have an idea as to what."

Rosie's brows raised a bit, glancing at Alastor for a moment.  
" _Every_ time? I admit that is quite the coincidence, but are you sure you can connect the two?"  
She questioned, turning her attention back to where she was walking.  
"Is there any possible way you can think of to get information out of him?"

Rosie always liked quizzing Alastor like this to see if he could solve a problem on his own. Talking it out rather than going over it in his head seemed to help a lot, so she would simply ask him questions to help the gears in his mind turn despite already having possible answers herself.

"Any possible scenarios you can perhaps think of?"  
She continued.

Alastor wasn't sure. While Rosie quizzing him proved useful and effective in coming up with solutions almost every time, Alastor still found it rather annoying at times. So many questions and no good answers.

"His lips seemed completely sealed the first few times that I spoke with him. But just this evening, we ate out at Casamento's and I think he let a few things slip that he wouldn't have done had I not spent so long speaking with him. But that brings me onto another thing."  
With a sigh, Alastor briefly looked to the other side of the street where a couple was walking.  
"His looks and stares towards me are awfully odd. And it's not simply something that's happened once. No, it's happened many a time now. I don't understand if it's a look of confusion or perhaps something else."

Rosie tilted her head slightly, paying no mind to the others on the street as she gave Alastor a curious sideways glance.  
"Looks and stares you say? Maybe he's just trying to figure you out just as much as you're trying to figure him out. Unless I see it for myself, I'm afraid that's the only conclusion I can come to."  
There was, of course, one other suspicion that lurked in the back of her mind, but the odds were astronomical.

Whatever it was down to, Alastor was sure it was something. And if Anthony _was_ trying to figure out, something that was a high possibility, then unfortunately for Anthony that wasn't going to be happening any time soon. Alastor wasn't easily figured out.

Rosie then stopped and turned to face Alastor with a bit of a sly smirk.  
"You know you're quite the attractive young man, my dear. Maybe Anthony thinks so too."  
She hinted, raising a brow as she waited to see how quickly Alastor would piece it together.  
Seeing things from different perspectives always helped, so perhaps if he looked back with that idea in mind, he might be able to come up with new ideas and theories surrounding his issues.

At Rosie's comment paired with that smirk, Alastor paused.   
"Oh come now Rosie, don't be absurd. Anthony is a man."   
Alastor rolled his eyes, completely setting that possibility aside.   
"I'm sure it's as you said before. He's trying to figure me out just as much as I am him, but I will still be wary."

Rosie simply shrugged before continuing, that smirk staying on her lips.  
"I know the premise is unbelievable, but I'm sure you're aware of the incredibly small margin of possibility despite the very unpopular ideal. However, if you're certain, I suppose there's nothing more to be said."  
If she was honest, Rosie's mind was running along with the idea of Anthony being a homosexual and coming up with theories of her own.

Carrying on with walking, Alastor shook his head.   
"The odds are minuscule, and while I do not believe that he is looking at me in _that_ light, if I want to work this all out then I suppose I do have to take into account every possibility. No matter how ridiculous they sound."   
Rosie had perhaps swayed Alastor into at least considering it even the smallest amount, but he still didn't believe it.

"How long is his stay? Has he said?"  
She then asked.

"No, he hasn't told me how long- I don't think he knows himself. However, I do know that he said he may be around for Mardi Gras. So just under a month longer."

Rosie gave a nod, looking ahead now.  
"I see, and have you seen Anthony and Lawrence within close proximity of each other? If so, what were their interactions like? Friendly? Hostile?"  
By this point she was just having too much fun, not having had a topic to pique her interest so much in quite a long time. She _loved_ digging and working her mind.

He knew that look on Rosie's face all too well. One that meant she was highly entertained by this puzzle; and Alastor didn't blame her. He was rather curious about it all too.

"That's another thing. They haven't directly interacted with each other. It's almost like Anthony is doing the same as I am. Observing."   
Maybe that _was_ what it was? But why would Anthony be observing Batallier?

While that did put a damper on her theories, that didn't eliminate them entirely.  
"Hm. Well, that could be a possibility too. Quite interesting."  
Rosie then noticed that they were wandering close to the hotel that their topic of conversation was residing.

"Or _maybe_ it's just me. There is the possibility that Anthony has just happened to be at all these places at the same time as Batallier for the past two weeks or so."   
But that didn't sit right with Alastor at all, and he knew Rosie thought the same.

Noticing that the hotel was up ahead, Alastor just sighed.   
"I know a few things about him that I found to be rather interesting. For one, of course, his family is wealthy. He's able to stay in that hotel for an indefinite amount of time after all."

Rosie nodded.  
"Of course. It certainly isn't a cheap place to stay."

Just as they were coming up to the hotel in question, Anthony was just crossing the street towards the building, writing a note of some sort in his little book.

"Well well, if it isn't Anthony. We were just talking about you."  
Rosie smiled.

Anthony jumped a bit, clearly oblivious to their presence right up until he almost ran right into them and Rosie spoke up.  
"Oh, Christ, y' scared me there."  
He laughed a bit, closing his book and tucked it away before giving Alastor a bit of a nod and small smile.

"There was... one _other_ thing I found to be puzzling-"   
However before Alastor could finish, Anthony just happened to suddenly appear.   
Speak of the devil.

Alastor's eyes narrowed, chin raising as he looked across at Anthony. He could have sworn the other said he was going to his hotel room earlier, so why was he out at this time of the night? It was a late Tuesday evening, early Wednesday morning and Mr. Batallier was always out at night on Tuesdays. So could it be that Anthony was perhaps following Batallier after all?

"Anthony. It's awfully late, what are you doing out?"   
Alastor raised a brow, studying the other's expression carefully.

"Ran outta gaspers."  
Anthony stated after a moment's pause.

Rosie's eyes seemed to narrow as well.  
"Ah, that's a shame. You must still be empty-handed since everything is closed by now."  
She hummed in an almost condescending tone.

"Right. Forgot how late it was. What about you, Al? Thought ya said you were gunna head home since y' had to work in the mornin'."  
Anthony spoke up again, his own eyes narrowing a little.

Rosie looked at Alastor with furrowed brows.  
"What on Earth are you doing out here then, Alastor? You should be at home getting your rest."  
She interrupted, playing the part of a concerned and scolding mother figure.

Even if Rosie hadn't just called out Anthony's blatant lie, Alastor knew he was lying regardless. When he and the other had been eating at the restaurant not too long ago, Alastor saw inside Anthony's cigarette box and it was very much still full. There was no way he'd smoked all of those cigarettes in the span of merely an hour.

Turning to Rosie as she scolded him, Alastor could only chuckle.   
"Oh, it's quite alright Rosie. There no need to be _too_ concerned."

"I'm gunna go ahead and hit the sack."  
Anthony said as he then excused himself, shuffling past the two.  
"See ya in the morning, Levesque."

"Rest well, Anthony."  
Rosie smiled as she watched the Italian closely for anything peculiar; which she noticed Anthony glance back over his shoulder, clearly looking at Alastor as he proceeded to run into the door due to lack of attention to where he was going.

With a bit of a nervous chuckle, Anthony rubbed his forehead and properly opened the door and went inside.

Alastor watched in some sort of disbelief as Anthony's forehead was met with the glass door of the hotel. He certainly was a clumsy human being, Alastor would give him that much.

Rosie then looked at Alastor with that look again.  
"Do you still think my theory is absurd?"  
She asked once she knew Anthony was gone.

As Rosie turned to him, Alastor just shook his head as he carried on their walk, ignoring the smug smile she had on her face.   
"Yes Rosie, I still think you're wrong. And if you aren't? Well, what am I supposed to do about it, hm?"

Rosie gave yet another shrug and shook her head.  
"Well, there's no telling exactly just yet, but if he is, just remember he'll be on his way soon and you won't have to worry about him again."  
She stated, taking a deep breath.  
"Just stay attentive until then. That's all I can say."

"I know."   
Alastor then nodded.   
"I will continue to watch him anyways. And Batallier? I plan to go forwards with everything tomorrow evening. I have everything planned and all I'm counting on is Batallier himself being in his usual place at that time."   
Alastor explained, a distant feeling of joy in the back of his mind at the mere prospect of what he was going to be doing the next evening. Finally. His mother would worry no more.

"Be very careful."  
Rosie warned. She had a feeling that there was something Alastor was overlooking a fine detail but she wasn't going to tell him directly. He needed to learn things on his own and remember everything surrounding his target that he'd learned.  
"Remember everything I've taught you. I know your mother is important to you but you must remember not to rush into it."

Whether Alastor was rushing into things or not, he didn't care. This whole thing meant so much to him, and he'd consider himself a fool to pass up the chance to see it through so quickly. Usually, he was more meticulous and planned things for a while, but there were times where Alastor did things on a complete whim, simply because he felt like it. And every time, he always won.

"You know me, Rosie. I'm always careful. There's nothing to worry about, as I'm sure you'll see."

Rosie could only give a small hum, an important lesson coming Alastor's way seeing as he seemed to be set on this.

"Before Anthony came along, you were saying there was another puzzling thing that you were thinking about. What was it?"  
She asked, now guiding Alastor back the way they'd come from.

Alastor had to think about that one for a moment, taking his thoughts back to what where he was at before they'd ran into Anthony.   
"Ah yes... it's about Anthony's life back in New York. I had some curiosities about it. As I mentioned, he had a little slip and mentioned something that grabbed my attention."   
He explained, recalling his and Anthony's meal.

"And that is?"  
Rosie's interest was once again caught. If Alastor found it interesting, she knew she was bound to as well.

"I do believe that there is more to Anthony's family and job relating than I first thought. From what I've gathered, it's something he's been born into. They're a wealthy family, have the Italian name Ragnatela, and his job in general sounds awfully restrictive. Many rules."   
Alastor paused a moment, side-eyeing Rosie as they walked along.

"I'm quite sure you can tell where I'm going with this. But it sounds to me like Anthony's 'job' isn't just a job. And his family? Well, you know."

Rosie slowly nodded, listening to Alastor closely, taking in all of his observations.  
"Ah, I think I do see what you're implying."  
Of course, she wouldn't be able to place her own thoughts or opinions seeing as she hadn't seen or spoken to Anthony nearly as much as Alastor had.  
"Very curious."

"Very curious indeed..."   
Alastor repeated, trailing off a little before pulling out his pocket watch and checking the time.   
"But, it is quite late and I don't want to keep you out too long. I have work in the morning too."

"Of course. Do keep me updated with your findings, Alastor. I'd very much like to follow along."  
Rosie smiled.

Once they reached her house, Rosie opened the door but turned to Alastor again before closing it.  
"Do be careful tomorrow."

Alastor looked to Rosie as she opened her front door, offering her a simple nod.   
"I will. You know me. As soon as it has been completed, I shall come to visit, if that's okay. I'll make to wait until your daughter is asleep before I do come over. She is awful at holding her tongue."

"You're quite right. Good night, Alastor."  
Rosie stated with a smile, closing the door and locking it once again.

And with that, Alastor supposed he would return home. It was late and while his mother would be asleep, Alastor was getting tired if he was being honest.


	8. Chapter 8

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Wednesday, January 5th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

The butcher's store that Alastor worked at usually opened around seven-thirty, however it wasn't until eight that customers typically started to show up.   
Anthony, as Alastor knew, was one to turn up fairly early while no one else was around, and despite Alastor having been expecting him that early Wednesday morning- Anthony never showed. He didn't show up at ten, eleven, or even twelve. In fact, even as Alastor's shift finished at an earlier time of two, Anthony still hadn't shown his face, not even through the window.

As Alastor left work that afternoon and headed home to change, he couldn't help but wonder _why_ the sudden no show on Anthony's part. Due to the suspicions held against him, it was natural for Alastor to then start theorizing in his mind, however, he didn't get too far with that. To be completely honest, by the time he had arrived home, Anthony had completely slipped his mind, the older man's thoughts elsewhere as he began to prepare for that evening. The evening that was to hopefully be the entertaining finale to Alastor's watching and following of Lawrence Batallier.

Anthony's reason for not showing up was quite simple and typical for a teenaged boy without many responsibilities. He slept the day away.   
The food he had the night before really took a toll on him in the best way possible.

It was around two in the afternoon that Anthony finally woke up and got himself ready for his observations that night. He did feel a bit bad about not going to see Alastor, but he figured Alastor could do with a break from seeing his mug around town.

With a whistle, Anthony was careful in loading his browning M1910 pistol with a few bullets and made sure the safety was on before putting it in his inner coat pocket. Of course, the silencer went in detatched.   
Anthony knew he probably didn't need firearms with him but one couldn't be too careful while in new and unfamiliar territory.

It was close to sundown when Anthony was ready to head out, having everything he needed with him as he left the hotel and towards Congo Square where Batallier always walked on Wednesday nights.

He'd found a nice tree in the square that allowed him to see over the entire area from a certain branch. It was equally as nice because Anthony was well hidden within the leaves, so his presence was well masked so long as he was quiet and didn't have a cigarette, the smoke from it having the potential of giving his position away.

Quickly climbing the tree and situating himself on the one comfortable branch, Anthony then sat and waited for his target to stroll on through.

It was a risky place for this all to go down, Alastor knew, but there was no other way. He was a patient man, but Batallier had forced impatience on him and this was the result.

Batallier may have had a wife, children, and a lovely home- but he also was unfaithful to said wife, harmed nurses in the very hospital he helped fund, and many other despicable things that Alastor had learned over the mere two weeks of investigating this man. To be completely honest, Alastor was going to be doing the world a favor.

It was around sunset when Alastor arrived at Congo Square, a low brimmed hat on his head, darker outfit than usual on his body. Of course, there was a reason for that.   
Knowing that Mr. Batallier would be arriving in the next few minutes or so, Alastor sat himself down on one of the park benches, one leg crossing over the other.   
From there, he waited.

Anthony sat in his tree, doodling away in his notebook when he noticed a familiar figure enter the area. Of course, he knew Alastor would show up at some point seeing as that happened nearly every single night. It made him wonder what he was doing though.

The Italian sat quietly, simply watching Alastor. He wasn't watching for anything in particular, simply just because he could get away with it. He did notice the lack of color in the clothes he wore tonight but didn't think much of it. He also noticed his hat was covering his eyes, again, something he didn't think much of. It just meant that the chances of his spotting him were even lower.   
If it were anyone else, Anthony would pick that information up and mark it as slightly suspicious, but because he was infatuated by this man, he let it all slide and give him the benefit of the doubt.

After about five minutes of watching Alastor, Anthony turned to a new page in his book and started sketching the man. Not exactly as he was seeing him at that very moment, but how he remembered seeing him the night before.

Alastor, as he waited, wasn't doing very much in particular. Apart from simply wait, there wasn't much he _could_ do. After a few minutes of simply waiting and occasionally glancing towards the entrance of the park, finally, Mr. Batallier walked through the iron gates.

Very slightly did Alastor sit up a little, watching and waiting for the moment that Batallier got closer to the trees that lined the far side of the square.

Anthony noticed Alastor straighten up, looking around to see what got his attention. Once he saw no one around aside from his target, his suspicions raised a bit. 

"What 'cha doin' here, Smiles?"  
Anthony whispered to himself, eyes narrowing slightly as he slowly closed his book and tucked it away again so he could focus on whatever interaction they were about to have.  
Did Alastor partake in Batallier's sales?

As he slowly stood, a pair of black gloves were pulled out of his pocket and slipped onto his hands. Presuming that no one aside from Batallier was around, Alastor then carefully pulled out a small, but sharp enough to do damage, knife, the man holding it behind his back as he began to approach the target, keeping his head down.

Batallier was noticeably walking closer to the trees on the other side of the square now, the perfect position for Alastor to finally _kill_ the foul man who had been tormenting and harming his mother.

Anthony caught a glimpse of the knife and immediately his eyes widened.  
"Wait, what? No-"  
He whisper-yelled.  
"No no no, y' can't do this."

The Italian's mind was becoming frantic.   
"Fermare, fermare...!"

Anthony knew he needed to do something to stop Alastor from doing what he was about to do. His actions could compromise his assignment and he'd either be sent home early and never take the oath _or_ he would be kept there longer and have to start all over.

Quickly looking between the two, Batallier was getting closer to Anthony's tree with Alastor closing in. He had to time this just right if he was going to be able to stop the situation. 

Alastor was indeed closing in, Batallier not even looking in his direction yet. It was perfect.   
There was an almost too wide of a grin upon his face as he very slowly approached the target.

Very slowly, Anthony started lowering himself from his branch and waited until just after they passed him before drawing his gun, dropped from his branch, and aimed at the back of Alastor's head, pulling the hammer back with an obvious click.

There was apparently one thing he hadn't accounted for or expected to happen for that matter. The click of a gun right behind his head said it all as Alastor stopped in his tracks, his smile settling into a smirk as he slowly looked over his shoulder. Alastor already knew who it was and if Rosie was here? She'd be laughing no doubt.

"Anthony... what a pleasant surprise."

Anthony didn't know what he was supposed to do or say next, but his efforts to distract Alastor had been achieved for at least a few moments. This was not at all what he was expecting from this man.

" _What_ do y' think you're _doin'_?"   
Anthony asked quietly through clenched and practically grinding teeth, keeping the gun pointed at the man's head with his finger at the ready. He really didn't want to shoot Alastor for multiple reasons.  
"Y' can't move in on _my_ clip like it ain't _nothin_ '."

Eyes quickly turned away from Anthony only to settle on Mr. Batallier who was now walking away back towards the entrance of the park. Great.

"No, what do you think _you're_ doing, Anthony? You're always telling me to mind my business, so why don't you mind _yours_."   
It was clear now that Alastor was rather irritated by this, his smirk quickly dissolving into an expression of annoyance.

Turning around completely now, Anthony's gun aimed for his forehead, Alastor in the blink of an eye drew his knife, the blade pointing to Anthony's neck.  
"I suggest you leave me right now unless you want to end up with an inevitability similar fate to Mr. Batallier."

Anthony didn't flinch away, in fact, his training kicked in after a moment of processing the situation. It had been quite a while since he had to perform this tactic in a real life-threatening situation, but he was confident enough that he remembered how to do it. He didn't have much of a choice either way.

The smaller male disengaged his gun and flicked the safety on rather quickly before dropping it to the ground, both of his hands now free. With his right hand, Anthony grabbed Alastor's left hand that held the knife to his neck and firmly moved it away while leaning his body away in the opposite direction; his left hand reaching up, punching Alastor in the jaw before grabbing the man's shoulder. Now pulling him down, Anthony brought his knee up and struck the assailant in the stomach while keeping a tight grip on his left wrist.  
He then twisted himself in a way that twisted Alastor's arm as well to loosen his grip and took the weapon while kicking the gun back and out of Alastor's reach; a place where he knew he was going to end up within the next minute and then swiped his ankles with his leg so the taller man was now on the ground.  
Usually, he would kick his attacker in the face while they were down, but decided against it, thinking the punch to the jaw was enough.  
He grabbed the hand with the knife in it in such a way that he was able to easily extract it from Alastor's grip and moved away to where he'd kicked his gun with slightly heavy breath, picking the gun up and pointing it at the man again.

"Don't... try shit with me. Y' ain't gunna win, Levesque."  
Anthony finally spoke, eyes staying on the taller man.  
"Y' don't bring a knife t' a gunfight. Thought you'd be smart enough t' know that."

Truth be told, Alastor had _no_ idea what hit him. One second he was standing facing Anthony, a knife pointed to the other's neck, and the next second he was on the ground, his jaw throbbing, knife out of hand.

He was almost... impressed? This was quite the entertaining feat on Anthony's part after all; Alastor could hardly be too mad about that. It was bizarre that a tiny man such as Anthony had taken a rather tall man down, but alas, he had.   
And yes, Alastor decided then at that moment that he wasn't just slightly impressed, he was _ecstatic_ about this for some reason. So much so, that he began to laugh- partly because of how entertaining this situation had turned out to be, and partly because Anthony thought it actually _bothered_ Alastor, the fact he'd indeed brought a knife to a gunfight. Of course, it didn't.

"My my, who would have guessed? It seems your reputation of 'merely a tourist' proceeds you, hahaha! Why I certainly didn't see that one coming at all!"   
Not exactly the way anyone normal would react to having just been brought to the ground and punched in the jaw, but Alastor was... an anomaly when it came to normality.

Anthony was a little taken aback by this reaction. This man was just taken down by a skinny little boy and he was _laughing_ about it?

Keeping the gun pointed at Alastor with the knife still in his hand, the smaller male's upper lip raised a bit.  
"Are y' part of one of the southern families?"  
He asked, knowing how easy it was for the mafia to forge fake identifications to cover their true identities. That's what Anthony's kind of was. The only difference with his identification from the original was the first name, originally being Antonio and changed to fit in with other Americans, now being Anthony.

"What's your beef with Batallier? Is he infiltratin' your family's business?"  
That might have been too much information to ask if Alastor wasn't actually part of one of the southern families.

Once Alastor started laughing, he couldn't stop for a while, tears of laughter in the corner of his eyes as he slowly sat up with a sigh.   
"Things aren't always as they seem."   
He chuckled, looking up at Anthony with a grin now wide upon his face once again.

"He's not 'infiltrating' anything of _mine_... but he _is_ bothering _your_ family, isn't he? That's why you're here, isn't it?"   
Alastor hoped he was right. It had been a hunch at first, barely anything, but as Anthony told him more and more about him and his family, it was almost too good. Almost too obvious.

Anthony was at a loss. He didn't know what he was supposed to do or say once again. If he did say anything, it could easily confirm what Alastor was implying. If he didn't say anything, he could be seen as a hesitating pansy.

Stepping closer to Alastor now, Anthony took the safety off of the gun and put his thumb on the hammer.  
"How many times do I gotta spell this out for ya? Mind your _damn_ business before y' find yourself in a Chicago overcoat with your mama and friends sobbin' over ya."

Taking a breath, Anthony dropped the knife, now knowing that the target was safely gone. It didn't seem like Batallier noticed anything, having not turned around to see what was going on nor in any rush to get out of the square.

"Y' think I wanna do this? Y' think I wanna be holdin' heat t' your head? I came here for _one_ person and if another one gets in the way, they'll be outta the picture too without hesitation. Do y' understand what's even happenin'? Y' got your ass handed t' ya and a gun t' your head and here y' are... _laughin'_."  
Anthony ranted a bit, his mouth running off more than it probably should have.

"Go on then, _Anthony_. Pull the trigger. Blow my brains out."   
Alastor let out with a burst of bordering crazed laughter, completely ignoring anything and everything that Anthony was saying at this point.   
"But _maybe_ you won't. If I backed away now and never spoke of this or saw you again, would you still kill me? Are you that ruthless?"

Gaze falling upon the barrel of the gun that was still very much pointed at him, Alastor smiled.   
"I quite like you, Anthony. So... how about I cut you a deal. Will you listen?"

Anthony closed his eyes and had his head tilt away slightly. This was honestly ridiculous. He did have to admit though, Alastor was a fantastic actor. Never in a million years would he have thought he had this side to him. Then again, he did work in a butcher shop. There were things in that line of work he couldn't find anywhere else like he said the night before.

Slowly lowering the gun, Anthony gave a bit of nod.  
"Go on."

Jaw still throbbing, Alastor slowly got to his feet as Anthony lowered the gun, quickly brushing himself down and removing his gloves- he wouldn't be needing them anymore today it seemed. Batallier was unfortunately long gone.

"We both want the same thing. Therefore I propose we, instead of pulling our weapons on each other, work together. As for who actually gets the kill? Well, I suppose we'll work that out when the time comes."  
Pausing, Alastor held his hand out for Anthony, a small smile on his face still.   
"What do you say, my friend?"

Anthony looked up at Alastor and then down to his hand a few times as he contemplated the offer, green eyes narrowed.  
He didn't really see a problem with this offer, but something inside of him was telling him to decline and walk away.  
This probably wasn't a good idea.

"Before I shake on it, we should meet up and talk it over. Now if y' can, or maybe later. Whatever. I can't afford to screw this job up. Not even for a... friend."  
Anthony finally spoke, his shoulders relaxing ever so slightly as he brought his free hand up to rub his face.

Alastor raised a brow, thinking that through now. It wasn't too late, and he supposed if he wanted even a chance at killing Batallier now, he'd have to go along with this. Anthony as an obstacle now was certainly going to be more annoying than Alastor could have ever imagined.

"Alright then."   
He nodded simply, lowering his hand.   
"It seems my schedule for tonight has been unexpectedly cleared. So yes, if you wish, then we can discuss this somewhere now."

This assignment was very important to Anthony and he couldn't have anything happen to mess it up.  
His eyes landed on the knife on the ground so he slowly leaned down to pick it up, examining it for a moment.  
"I just don't get it..."  
He muttered to himself.

Glancing down to where Anthony picked up the knife, Alastor's eyes narrowed.   
"Don't get what."

Anthony shook his head and handed the knife back.  
"Forget it for now. Y' got a place for us t' go?"  
He asked as he put the safety back on the gun, took the silencer off and tucked it all away.  
"Talkin' about this in a place so open ain't ideal, y' know? Could go back to my room but that might look a little weird... if y' know what I'm sayin'."

Taking the knife and swiftly putting it back in his inside pocket, Alastor's eyes narrowed all the more at that last part. Perhaps... he would attempt to test Rosies completely absurd theory? So much had already happened this evening relating to Anthony as it was, so to get anything else out of him certainly would be something else. Especially something like _that_. 

"What? No, I don't quite know what you're saying. Care to explain?"   
Alastor trailed off, beginning to walk towards the park's entrance, presuming Anthony was following behind.

Anthony's brows furrowed.   
"Do y' not have those kinds of people here?"  
He asked before pausing, following Alastor to the gates. Were the cultures between here are home _that_ different? Then again, Alastor was a top tier actor so Anthony knew to be extra careful around him now.

Looking ahead of him, a small smug smile on his face where he knew Anthony could see, Alastor just shrugged.   
"And what kinds of people are you talking about exactly? I don't believe I follow."   
He wasn't sure where he was going with this in particular, but if Anthony said anything, then Alastor could at least start to consider Rosie's theory to be true.

Anthony then shook his head.  
"Never mind. The hotel or someplace else? Make the call."  
He sighed, rubbing his neck. The events of the past twenty-four hours had been absolutely unbelievable, leaving Anthony wondering if any of it even happened. It all felt like some sort of weird fever dream.

Deciding to leave the topic, for now, Alastor hummed in thought.   
"I suppose the hotel has an area we can sit and talk quietly? It doesn't have to be your room if you do not wish."   
He nodded, the two of them exiting the gates of Congo Square and walking out onto the slowly darkening street.

"It'll have t' be my room. Don't want any passers-by listenin' in."  
It was then that Anthony thought that maybe Alastor had never done any of this before. If he was so dense to think that a hotel- a _public place-_ had anywhere private someone could go into and talk about murder outside of the room someone was staying in, he _had_ to be new to this. Not to mention he was going to kill a man in the middle of a park where people could easily be walking about.

"Alright then, your room it is."   
Alastor knew very well that anywhere public had its risks of people overhearing certain things, but he also knew the city well and the fact that even if anyone _did_ overhear them talking about murder? They'd hardly believe either of them. Who would?   
But, if Anthony wanted to speak in private, then so be it. Alastor wasn't going to stop him.  
It probably didn't help the fact that Anthony looked like the least likely kind of person to commit any sort of crime. He was given a nickname within the family due to that fact; a code name of sorts.

Anthony could feel his chest tighten but he didn't understand why. He knew very well how to defend himself if it came to it yet he was still incredibly nervous.  
Hands in his pockets, he glanced up at Alastor every once in a while to see if there were any hints as to what he was thinking or maybe an intent.

Alastor didn't let Anthony into what he was thinking by his expression or even his movements, simply keeping his expression as it usually was. A pleasant smile plastered onto his face, arms resting neatly behind his back as he led the way to the St Charles Hotel.

Soon enough, they arrived, Alastor holding the door open with a hum for Anthony to go in, letting him lead the way from there.

Anthony was becoming more and more frustrated by all of this.   
He didn't bother saying anything, just walking up to the room he was staying in on the fifth floor. Pulling the key from his pocket, he unlocked the door and stepped inside, holding the door open for Alastor to walk in too before closing the door and locking it.  
He couldn't _believe_ he was even considering any of this.

Alastor quietly looked around as he was led into the rather lavish hotel room, as he'd expected it to be. Surprisingly, there weren't many personal belongings of Anthony's around, however, Alastor just put that down to the fact that he'd perhaps packed lightly before staying here.

Spotting a table with two chairs either side towards one of the windows of the room, Alastor made his way over and sat down.   
"So..."   
He trailed off, fingers lightly tapping against the table.

Anthony took a breath and swallowed hard.   
"Alright. If we're gunna collaborate with this hit, there are a few things y' gotta know."  
He stated as he started removing his coat and put his gun safely away in his suitcase after disassembling it a little.   
"First off, I gotta ask. Have y' done this sorta thing before?"

Alastor's gaze followed Anthony around the room as he put his firearm away.   
"Have I killed before? Or have I collaborated in killing before?"   
He asked just to confirm.

Reaching into his own pocket, Alastor pulled out his cigarette box and began to light one, however paused before doing so.   
"Oh, sorry, do you mind?"   
Anthony most probably didn't, but that was neither here nor there.

Anthony shook his head and waved his hand.  
"Go ahead. I mean any of this. Boppin' a person ain't the same as cuttin' meat in a shop, I'll tell y' that right now."  
He stated as he pulled out his own cigarettes.   
His mind was racing and he didn't know what he was doing anymore. There were so many things going on in his mind.

Alastor brought it to his lips, lit it, and slowly inhaled. As fun as it had been to work out Anthony's secret and to have a front-row seat to his impressive skills, his mindset for the past entire few days had been set on killing Batallier that evening; and with nothing to show for it at all? Alastor was _stressed_ out.

"I'm sure you wouldn't believe me if I told you how many times I've both considered and gone through with taking the life of another."   
He stated rather casually.   
"Point is, my good fellow, if you think I've never done this before, then you're the fool."

Anthony scoffed and shook his head, scratching his brow with his thumb.  
"The hell am I doin'?"  
He asked himself before taking a drag of his cigarette.

"Alright. Y' probably got questions."  
He stated as he leaned his hip against the wall. This was mainly to stall so he could figure out what he was thinking and what he was going to say. Maybe even help him sort out his thoughts too.  
"I'll answer 'em if I can."

Alastor shrugged. He had questions alright, but whether he wanted them answered right away or not was another matter entirely. He was already stressed enough as it was, despite his seemingly calm disposition.

"If not tonight, then _when_ and _where_ were you planning on killing Lawrence Batallier?"   
Alastor finally asked, leaning back in the seat.

"I dunno yet. I gotta wait for my dad's word."  
Anthony replied.  
"See, we need more evidence built against the guy, make sure that it _is_ him we're after and not someone else, which is part one. Part two, I gotta write out everythin' I got and send it home. Part three, dad calls and gives the word, then I go out and end it. Then I get t' go home."  
He couldn't _believe_ these words were actually coming out of his mouth. If his father caught wind of it, that would be the end of Anthony's career with the family and the Life.

Alastor quietly nodded, taking in that information and noting it down in his mind for any later uses it could possess. At least now, he could tell Anthony was being more or less honest in terms of his work.  
Thoughts wandering off to another question he could ask Anthony, he quickly took another drag of his cigarette before speaking his quite simple question.   
"Do you enjoy killing?"

Anthony blinked a few times at that, needing a moment to figure out how to word his answer.  
"It's my job. Ain't gunna matter if I enjoy it or not. It's what I gotta do."  
He finally replied.  
Truth be told, he had never thought about that before. He did it because he had to. Yes, there were times he did enjoy it, and other times he didn't. It wasn't something he ever thought he would have to admit to or even think about.

Alastor shrugged at that answer, a rather boring answer at that. Anthony was ever faithful to his job it seemed. It was still interesting though, and Alastor would absolutely be informing Rosie of everything that had happened this evening.   
"Well, for now, I suppose I have no more immediate questions that come to mind."   
He added.

With a nod Anthony took another drag of his cigarette, keeping his eyes on the floor.  
"Gimme a minute. Gotta do somethin' before we come to an agreement. Think it over."  
He stated as he walked towards his en-suite. He closed the door and took a breath.

Alastor watched silently as Anthony excused himself to the bathroom, and when he was sure that the door was closed, Alastor slowly stood from the chair he was in and began to look around the room.   
He wouldn't take anything, however, he was awfully curious to see what Anthony was hiding. Since there were hardly any belongings of his around, surely that meant that something was hidden somewhere?

Being quick, Alastor quietly looked upon Anthony's desk, however, there was only a pen left there. He then tried some drawers, but there once again was nothing. And finally, the nightstand beside the bed. And there? Well, there Alastor found a small leather-bound book.

Now, this book Alastor found could have been absolutely anything. It didn't necessarily have to be important, however from the location of it- right beside Anthony's bed, Alastor knew that it held some secrets inside.   
Glancing over his shoulder towards the bathroom, Alastor figured he didn't have long before Anthony would be exiting, so if he wanted a peek at the book, he'd have to do so quickly and now.

Inside of said book was the ten pages written of the Italian's most intimate and secret thoughts. He had yet to rip them out and burn them; a big mistake as he would probably learn.

Flicking over the first page, Alastor quickly skimmed through, discovering that yes, this was Anthony's diary.   
Just like the first page, Alastor skimmed as many pages as he could, taking in the brief information. That was until he got to the last two pages and consequently froze. With the words 'To love another man' etched into his mind, Alastor slammed the diary closed and put it back exactly as it had been before on the nightstand.   
And with that, he swiftly walked back over to where he'd been sitting, appearing as if he'd never moved in the first place.

Anthony started to run over his options the moment the door was closed and think of the consequences of this idea. He had a feeling Alastor wasn't going to back down so easily and continue his pursuit on his own until the deed was done by either though his own hand was probably preferred.

Anthony stood in the bathroom at the mirror, looking at himself as he continued to ponder and think deeply.   
If they did work together, Anthony didn't see a problem with Alastor taking the kill, but at the same time, there was a certain way he was supposed to kill Batallier and his father wouldn't accept anything else no matter the excuse. He would have to convince his new partner in crime to give him this hit or it would be over for Anthony and his career in the Life.   
He wasn't sure how much he was going to be able to tell Alastor. They both had dirt on each other now, but Alastor would have more than Anthony would if any more was said, but at the same time, he felt like Alastor should know the full extent of the situation if he was to fully understand.

He quickly splashed some ice-cold water on his face to bring him back to the present, having come to his conclusion, completely unaware of what was happening on the other side of the door.  
After patting his face dry with a towel, he moved back towards the door and finished his cigarette before opening the door. He looked to Alastor for a moment as he made his way back over to the table, putting the cigarette butt in the ashtray. 

Alastor's attention snapped towards Anthony as he left the bathroom, keeping calm as to not let any suspicions arise that he'd been snooping around.

"Alright. There's gunna be a few things I gotta go over with ya."  
Anthony began as he sat across from the other man, sliding the suspenders off of his shoulders and undid the top two buttons of his shirt seeing as he didn't have plans to go out again.  
"First off, as I said before, we're gunna have t' wait for the word from back home. No excuses. It could take a week, it could take a month. I dunno for sure."  
He began.  
"Second, I gotta be the one t' do it. If it ain't done exactly the way they expect, they're gunna say someone else did it and I ain't gunna be rewarded."  
The Italian continued with his explanation.  
"They weren't even gunna send me. I dunno _who_ they were gunna send but it sure as hell wasn't gunna be me. This is so... _so_ important t' me, Smiles."

Listening to the other's conditions, nodding slowly along to his words, Alastor raised a brow at that last part. There was something in Anthony's voice that he hadn't heard before. Perhaps it was down to the determination Anthony held towards needing this kill, or perhaps it was something else. Either way, Alastor had no issues with Anthony's conditions- except for the fact that he had to be the one to kill Batallier. But he would find a way around it. Alastor was usually a man of his word, however, there were always exceptions _somewhere_.  
"Well... I suppose I will accept your conditions for our deal. Waiting up to a month isn't really ideal for my situation, however, it will have to do."

Anthony gave a nod, rubbing his neck a bit.  
"I know it probably ain't what 'cha wanna hear, but he _will_ be gone in the end. I can promise ya that."  
He stated before looking down at the table between them.  
"I guess that's it for t'night. Guess we'll see each other again tomorrow."  
He added, bringing his eyes back up to look at the man across from him.

A whole month Alastor had to simply _hope_ that Batallier did no more harm to his mother. That was quite an unrealistic hope, however, there wasn't anything he could do for now.  
Slowly looking across at Anthony, Alastor had to pull his gaze away, unable to not think about everything he'd just read.

"Yes. I suppose we shall."   
Standing, Alastor held his hand out toward Anthony.   
"We have a deal then."   
He then stated.

Anthony stood as well, straightening his shirt a bit as he looked at Alastor's hand.  
"Affare. Deal."  
He repeated in both Italian and English with a nod, taking the hand for a firm shake. Of course, the thing he noticed was the size difference again.  
Now all he could do was hope that this man was true to his word. He _really_ didn't want to kill anyone else if he didn't have to.

Once that was done, Anthony let go and walked over to the door.  
"Y' know your way down again, yeah?"

Alastor's smiled widened in the slightest as they shook on it, however, there was no noticeable malice behind it. Perhaps it was genuine.

"Ah yes, I do believe I can find my way down to the lobby."   
Alastor nodded as he too followed Anthony to the door, straightening out his tie as the door opened.  
"And I will see you tomorrow? Early I hope."  
If he was being honest, Anthony not visiting that morning had thrown him off slightly, not that he would admit to it of course.

Anthony gave a bit of a smile and a nod.  
"Yeah, I'll be in tomorrow 'round the same time."  
He then stepped to the side while holding the door open.  
"Thanks again for... understandin' the situation..."  
He added in a bit of a quieter tone.

Stepping out the hotel room and into the hallway, Alastor smiled back with that usual grin of his.   
"And thank _you_ for not pulling the trigger, haha!"  
And with that, Alastor slowly began to walk away, glancing back over his shoulder with a nod.   
"Have a nice night Anthony!"

Anthony gave a half-hearted smile paired with a quiet laugh and nod.  
Once the door was closed, he pushed his back against the door and grabbed two handfuls of his hair, eyes wide and breath heavy.

This was going to be interesting...


	9. Chapter 9

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Wednesday, January 5th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

With a spring in his step and humming a tune, from the hotel Alastor made his way through the streets of the French Quarter towards the direction of long time friend, Rosie's home.  
Alastor knew that Rosie would have quite a lot to say about this whole thing, and he wanted to hear it- even if some of it was bound to be smugness of some sort.

It wasn't as late as it had been when he'd last visited, so Alastor knew that Rosie would most certainly be awake this time, as would her daughter Madeline, however, he knew that she wouldn't listen in to anything if it didn't concern her.

Walking up to the door of the home as he arrived, Alastor knocked three times and again took a step back, looking down at himself to make sure he was somewhat presentable. After being thrown to the ground and punched in the jaw by Anthony earlier, he didn't exactly look dapper.

There was a pause within the house as the two women inside looked between each other for a moment. Rosie was expecting Alastor to arrive at some point due to the plans he told her about the night prior so she set her towel down and headed for the door, leaving her daughter to continue with the dishes.  
Upon opening the door, Rosie's smile grew a bit.  
"Good evening, Alastor, what a pleasant surprise."  
She hummed. 

As the door opened and Rosie appeared, Alastor smiled in her direction as he stepped into the home.  
"Good evening Rosie."

"Mama, is that Alastor?"  
Madeline called from the kitchen with clear excitement in her voice.

Rosie closed her eyes and inhaled slowly, closing the door behind the man.  
"Yes, my dear, finish the dishes before you come and say hello."  
She replied in a sweet tone through the expression on her face was that of clear annoyance.

"She'll be off to bed soon, don't you worry."  
Rosie then whispered to her visitor as she brought him inside.

"How did your adventure go this evening?"  
She then asked, keeping the topic vague for now, tilting her head as the light from inside lit up Alastor's features.

Taking Alastor's chin, Rosie turned his face from side to side to examine the state of his jaw.  
"He put up a fight, did he?"  
She asked with narrowed eyes.

He nodded, stopping as the woman examined his face. Alastor himself hadn't had the chance to look at it yet, so he wasn't sure how bad it looked. It didn't hurt too much, so it was most probably just bruising.

Turning his chin away from Rosie's hold, Alastor shook his head.  
"If you're talking about _Anthony_ , then yes."  
He spoke quietly, having heard Madeline in the background as he arrived.  
"I will discuss everything with you shortly. But I'm fine, it's just a scratch."

Rosie's brow raised as Anthony's name was dropped. An interesting development. She knew the Italian would have turned up but to have _fought_ Alastor was not foreseen. She was now very curious as to what transpired but knew she had to wait for the explanation.  
Rosie brought Alastor into the lounge and had him sit in one of the armchairs, sitting adjacent to him.

Alastor silently followed Rosie into the lounge, taking a seat down and crossing a leg over the other. His back ached slightly from where he'd fallen to the ground, but once again, it was probably just bruising.

It wasn't long before Madeline was along, entering the lounge with a big smile.  
"Alastor, how are you? It's been a while since we've last seen each other."

Madeline was around the same age as Alastor. Her hair was a bit of a lighter brown than her mother's and she had her father's hazel eyes. She was rather short, standing at about five foot four, so in comparison to Alastor, she was quite short. Even Rosie was a bit taller than her.  
One thing about Madeline though, only a fool with the attention span and brainpower of a grain of rice wouldn't be able to see that she was deeply infatuated with Alastor.

At the sound of footsteps followed by the unmistakable voice of the girl, Alastor glanced around to look at her, giving her a small smile.  
"Hello, Maddie. I am well, thank you. And yourself?"  
He asked, trying to at least be nice to her, despite his occasional dislike of her.

"Very well, thank you."  
The girl replied, looking between Alastor and her mother for a moment, sensing she had no business there.  
"I'll be off to bed now. I hope we can see each other again soon, Alastor. I miss seeing you regularly."  
She added, keeping a sweet smile before making her way towards the stairs.

"Good night mama. Good night Alastor."  
With that, she began to make her way up to her bedroom.

"Good night, Madeline."  
Rosie nodded.

Alastor nodded again in Madeline's direction as she said her goodbyes, and as soon as he was sure she was upstairs, her footsteps gone, Alastor turned back to Rosie with a small shake of his head.  
"Do you think she'll ever get over her infatuation? It's been years."  
He asked with a chuckle.

Due to Rosie having known Alastor since he was young, Madeline and Alastor naturally had known each other for years as well. They used to see each other quite frequently while Rosie was watching over Alastor, however, in recent years hadn't seen each other as much.

Rosie simply shook her head and gave a small roll of her eyes.  
"Honestly, I think not."  
She then smoothed the skirt of her dress a bit.  
"Now, what exactly happened? You look like you've been in a fight. What was it that happened with Anthony?"  
She asked, more interested in that topic rather than her own daughter being a foolish lovelorn child.

Alastor knew that Rosie was intrigued in what had happened to him the moment she saw him, so he figured he'd tell her.  
"So, as you know, I had planned on striking tonight. And I was just about to, however it was unfortunate that Anthony was watching as well. When I pulled the knife out of my pocket, he must have seen, and then he pulled a gun on me, insisting I stand down."  
He began.  
"Naturally, I threatened him back, however, it seems I certainly misjudged not only his strength but his skills. Anthony's stature is nothing to go by- he sent me to the ground with a punch to the jaw and a few other blurred movements as well. It all happened rather quickly."  
It was slightly embarrassing to say so, but at the same time, Alastor had been impressed by it.

Rosie's brows raised and her eyes narrowed.  
"I seem to have a hard time believing you, but I suppose that welt on your face is simply proof of your testimony."

Alastor shook his head.  
"I shouldn't have underestimated him. I was foolish to do so."  
It was easily done, yet it was a stupid and amateur mistake on his part.

She knew Alastor wouldn't lie to her about anything, the two of them had been through a lot together as it was, so obviously they had that connection with each other.  
"So, Lawrence got away... and Anthony? What happened in regards to him?"

"Yes, Lawrence managed to get away without thankfully noticing neither Anthony nor myself. As for Anthony? We happened to make a deal. You know how much I enjoy deals, so I simply couldn't _not_ take this opportunity."  
He then smiled.

Rosie gave a small laugh and shook her head.  
"Of course. So I take it the two of you will be working together on this then? Quite unlike you to accept help from someone you know nothing about, but I suppose it'll be a good experience for you."  
She said.

Alastor rolled his eyes at the clear amusement Rosie held in her tone, knowing that with what he was about to reveal, that amusement would quickly turn smug.  
"Yes, I understand it's quite unlike me. But it seems I have no choice. Besides, it could be quite entertaining."  
He paused a moment, an eyebrow raising.  
" _Especially_ entertaining due to what I _also_ found out earlier..."  
Pausing once again to build the suspense, Alastor leaned forwards slightly.  
"It seems that Anthony dearest is as you theorized. A homosexual to say the least."

As predicted, Rosie did become smug with a grin pulling at her lips as she leaned back into her seat, a leg crossing over the other.  
"Ah, see? Maybe you'll learn to listen to me more often, hm?"

This was definitely something that pulled at Rosie. She must have rubbed off on Alastor during his younger years because they both seemed to love puzzles and gaining information of all kinds; useless, useful, and everything in between.

Rolling his eyes in return at the woman's comment, Alastor just nodded.  
"I always listen to you, Rosie. Your theory was simply so odd, that I didn't think it possible; yet here we are."

"I can't say I've ever properly met one before. Quite interesting. Perhaps we should study him a bit. See what makes him tick in that particular direction."  
She suggested.

Alastor still had to properly process everything he'd read in Anthony's diary, but that could wait.  
"I honestly have no idea what we would get out of studying his behavior. Is it not simply the reverse of normal male behavior?"

"Well, that would be exactly what we would find out. Whether it's reverse or something entirely different. Perhaps he's not really even a man. I've heard of people who dress in clothes that are opposite of their birth sex. Intriguing if I do say so myself. Living a life that isn't designed for you, yet you defy the laws of nature and such to make yourself happy regardless."  
She stated, rambling a bit about her thoughts on the matter.  
"Either way, did you happen to learn anything else? I would love to know anything and everything you have come across and will find in the future as well."

Alastor listened carefully, nodding absently at Rosie's absurd thoughts and ideas. Alastor himself had never come across someone like Anthony, however, he was quite certain that he was a male.

"I did happen to learn quite a thing or two. On my own accord of course- I snuck a small look at Anthony's journal while he was in the bathroom."  
He smirked a little, implying that he'd been to Anthony's hotel room now.

Rosie's interest was piqued once again, something that had been happening quite a lot since the Italian's arrival in the city.  
"Oh really? What exactly did you uncover?"  
She was obviously getting _very_ excited.

Sighing, recalling exactly what he'd read in that journal, albeit briefly, Alastor began.  
"Our suspicions were confirmed relating to Anthony. He is part of a mob family in New York and was sent here to kill Lawrence Batallier. However, he is only to kill him upon a phone call from his father. The journal accounted mainly for sentimental and personal memories, however, there were things about his family and implications of the mob in there too. I didn't get long to look, so I most certainly skipped a few things."

Rosie gave a nod.  
"I see, well, you got what you could. Now all you have to do is use this information to your advantage. He won't be able to do anything you won't already be prepared for."  
She replied.

"Precisely. Now that you know, if anything _were_ to happen to me, both you and I have this information against him now too. I doubt he will be attempting to kill me again, though. Even when he tried to, he was hesitant."  
Alastor spoke with another curt nod.

"Was there anything else?"

"Not too much else of value. Mainly his own issues relating to his interests. However, something awfully funny was Anthony's presumption that I had never killed before. I'm not sure what it was, but apparently I came across that way to him."

Rosie had to hold back a laugh at that, quickly covering her mouth so that nothing more than a snort escaped. A moment of her trying to keep her composure took place before she spoke.  
"Oh goodness, well, you've always been flawless at hiding things from others, I must admit. You've played your part very _very_ well, my dear."  
Even as she spoke there were still small hints of suppressed laughter.  
She wasn't by any means laughing at Alastor, rather Anthony.  
She knew of everything relating to Alastor so she was well aware that he was the furthest thing from innocent. She was far from it too, being the person who taught him everything he knew.

Alastor couldn't help but chuckle as well in response to Rosie's covered laughter, finding the situation all too funny.

"I will say, when he threw me to the ground, he looked taken aback that I was laughing- I was simply impressed, but I couldn't stop laughing."  
Alastor continued on, knowing that Rosie knew what he was like sometimes in regards to both smiling and laughing.

Rosie nodded with her smile wide.  
"Yes, well, while you're here would you care for some bread pudding? I made it just today."  
She offered, planning to have a bowl. She knew Alastor wasn't a fan of sweets but the offer was always put on the table.

Alastor paused a moment, only really now just realizing that he hadn't eaten that evening at all and as much as he didn't usually like sweet things, the thought of bread pudding did pique his interest.  
"Yes, alright then. Your bread pudding is always brilliant, Rosie."  
He smiled with a nod.

Rosie then stood and started walking to the kitchen.  
"You haven't had dinner yet either, have you? I wouldn't want to spoil your appetite if you plan to eat when you return home."  
She stated as she made it to the stove, removing the cloth that covered a pan before grabbing two bowls from the cupboard along with two spoons.

As Rosie stood, Alastor followed close behind, stopping once they were in the kitchen.  
"Oh, it's quite alright. You know me, I'll eat and I'll eat if I'm hungry."  
Alastor was quite the foodie at times, loving to chow down on almost anything- given that it wasn't too sweet. He supposed he was lucky he had such a high metabolism.

"Of course. Would you like some of the special sauce on top?"  
She asked.

"Of course. You can't have bread pudding without the sauce."  
Alastor grinned, knowing about the ingredients Rosie often hid in her home.  
"Is it rum or whiskey this time?"

Because it was against the law to make, sell, transport, and even _have_ alcohol, Rosie of course had to hide her ingredients and refer to them as 'special'.

"Whiskey. I'm close to out of rum so I figured I would save that for another time."  
She replied with a smile and she handed Alastor one of the empty bowls and a spoon so he could serve himself.

Nodding, Alastor took the bowl with a thank you before moving over to the bread pudding and scooping himself a serving.  
"I must say, this smells and looks absolutely divine."  
He grinned, taking a quick bite with the spoon.  
"Tastes exquisite too."

Rosie served herself next, taking the lid off of a pot that sat next to the pan and stirred it a bit before adding the whiskey sauce to her serving and then to Alastor's.  
"I know, dear. It always is."  
She replied smugly as she covered the pot again and put the cloth over the pan.  
"You shouldn't eat standing up though. I've told you before, young man."  
She teased as she brought her bowl to the dining room and sat down after gathering her skirt a bit.

Alastor gave Rosie a bit of a look, one that was a sort of 'you're not my mother' as he followed her then into the dining room. Sitting down opposite her, Alastor didn't waste a second in digging into the dessert.

"Does Madeline not want any? Or is she already asleep."  
Alastor asked, wiping at his mouth a little, being able to taste the whiskey sauce that had just been added on top to the dish.

"She knew I was making it so I suppose she's passing on it tonight."  
Rosie replied simply.


	10. Chapter 10

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Thursday, January 6th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

The next day? Well, Alastor tried to make it as normal as possible- however, that was fairly difficult. His mother was sleeping when he left for work that morning, so she didn't notice how... _off_ her son was.   
As had been the highlight of the night before, Alastor failed to do what he had set out to do that evening- kill Lawrence Batallier. He'd been able to push all of that away last night after failing, but when he woke up that morning it all hit him again. It wasn't healthy, he knew, but it was an _obsession._ An addiction. If he didn't kill, then he got rather antsy, he supposed. It wasn't often since he rarely failed to kill when he was in the mindset to do so, however it _was_ happening that morning.  
His fingers nervously drummed upon the butchers counter as he stood watching the front window, observing every single person that walked passed.

Anthony kept his word, showing up around his usual time, maybe a few minutes earlier.  
His evening once Alastor had left consisted of some more writing and sleep, so he was very well-rested.

Opening the door to the butcher's, Anthony hummed a tune with a bit of a smile until he saw Alastor.  
"Buongiorno. Good morning."  
He said in both Italian and English so Alastor would be able to understand. He found himself doing that quite often.

Alastor's attention was quickly on the door as it opened, the man straightening himself up. Anthony's regular order was all packed up in a small bag already that sat on the weighing scales just to his side.

"Ah yes, Anthony. Good morning."   
Alastor nodded, giving the other a once over. It was certainly strange, thinking of Anthony in this new light as someone who wasn't as weak as what he came across as.

Anthony's smile grew a bit upon seeing the taller man.   
"How ya doin', Smiles?"  
He asked as he approached the counter. The events of the night before seemed to have been forgotten by the smaller man as he pulled his wallet out of his pocket.  
"Got plans t'night?"  
Truth be told he was only asking because he wasn't sure if there was anyone else in the shop, so he was playing it off as if they had no agreement or significant ties of any kind.

Alastor could barely stay still, having to pace a little up and down behind the counter, and when he eventually did manage to stop to serve Anthony, his fingers continued to drum on the counter.

"Um, no. No, I don't believe I do."   
There was no one else at the store yet, besides Alastor, however, it was only a mere ten or so minutes before a coworker was to arrive.  
"Do you?"   
He continued, looking across into Anthony's eyes.   
"Have plans, I mean."

Anthony raised a brow, noticing Alastor was definitely a little off.  
"Y' feelin' alright? You're a little jittery this mornin'."   
He observed. It was almost like he was nervous or something.   
He then leaned a little closer.  
"If y' think I'm gunna pull another move like I did last night, I ain't. Relax."

Alastor paused, his eyes narrowing as Anthony leaned closer and gave his presumption. It was wrong, of course, but Alastor couldn't help but find that amusing either, taking a step back with a laugh, waving his hand dismissively.  
"Oh no, don't be absurd! Such a funny little man you are, Anthony."   
He laughed it off, moving over to the cash register now, hoping they'd be able to move on.

"What's the problem then? You're actin' like y' saw somethin' y' shouldn't've."  
The blonde put his elbows down on the counter with his hands clasped together in front of him.  
He wasn't sure if he should be concerned or not, but given the fact that he held a gun to Alastor's head and got hysterical laughing as a response, he figured it was safe to say he probably _should_ be worried about him.

Rolling his eyes at Anthony's persistence, Alastor took a step now forwards closer to where Anthony leaned on the counter, both of his palms flat against it as he leaned in.  
"No. But you're being awfully inquisitive today."   
There was a hint of annoyance in his tone and one _other_ thing. Something that he perhaps hadn't intended.

Anthony's eyes widened slightly but didn't look away from the man as he got a little closer, his chest tightening slightly.  
Alastor did notice Anthony's eyes widen slightly, however, he didn't say anything about it.

"Now, it was just the usual order today, yes?"   
Quickly clasping his hands together and reeling back from the counter, Alastor then gestured towards the weighing scales where the bagged sausage sat ready to go.

The blonde relaxed again when the butcher pushed away. He had to keep himself from noticeably sighing in relief as he straightened himself up as well.

"Aww, y' remembered."  
Anthony then teased with a big smile as he fished out his wallet and pushed the amount required over the counter towards the taller man.

Alastor took the money that was pushed across the counter, however, not without dropping it, the man tutting in annoyance as he picked it back up once again.  
"Yes, I did remember since you order the same singular thing every day."   
He replied, standing and putting the money into the cash register.

Anthony's eyes narrowed, watching Alastor closely.  
"Right... alright listen. What'sa matter with you? Y' ain't ever been this ditzy b'fore. What's goin' on?"  
He asked with a bit of a sigh.   
"Can't have my business partner all bent outta shape."  
He added in a more hushed tone.

Alastor paused a second or two, sighing with a shake of his head.   
"I... have a coworker showing up in a moment. Perhaps, later on, we can meet."   
He wouldn't talk about this now, especially with how persistent Anthony was being, but if they met later on then perhaps he would explain.   
"I'm not 'bent out of shape', rest assured."

Taking a breath, Anthony nodded.  
"Alright. I guess I'll meet 'cha here when y' finish and we can go someplace and talk it out."  
He stated as he grabbed the bag containing his goods, giving a bit of a nod as he started heading back to the door.

"Yes, I finish at the usual time."   
He called out towards Anthony, fingers once again drumming quickly upon the counter of the store.   
"I'll meet you outside then."   
He nodded, and with that, turned back to his work.   
A coworker would be showing up in a few moments which would at least give him company for the rest of his long day.

"You'll be fine, Smiles."  
The blonde said as he opened the door and stepped out.  
  


Anthony spent the rest of his day walking around the city, found the same stray cat from before, and fed the sausage to it. By this point, he had given it a name, assuming it was a girl, he called it Molly in honor of his sister.  
Closer to the time Alastor finished work, he decided to go to the hospital Batallier was a huge part of to see if he could spot him outside for a break or something along those lines.   
Just as he was about to head back to the butcher's after deeming nothing of interest happening on the outside, a woman was spotted leaving the hospital. She was wearing some nurse's attire and looked exhausted, there was another small something that Anthony wasn't quite able to figure out.   
He still had two hours before he had to find Alastor, so he figured he would step in and help her to where ever it was she was off to.

"Y' look tired. Can I help ya get somewhere?"  
He asked as he cautiously approached. He didn't want to come off as strange, unsure if what he was doing was even socially acceptable here. However, he was taught to be respectful to women and help them if they looked to be in distress of any kind.

The woman looked to Anthony for a moment, a hand placed carefully over her own bicep. It looked as if she was injured, walking slowly and almost carefully; almost trying not to limp.  
"Oh, I'm just on my way home. I appreciate the offer, but I think I'll be alright."  
She said with a small smile that seemed to be drained of happiness. He could tell she was forcing it.

Anthony tilted his head slightly and shook his head.  
"I insist. Y' look like you're gunna collapse."

Defeated, the woman sighed.  
"Very well, help me to the stop. That will be plenty."

With a nod, Anthony offered his arm to the woman, who graciously accepted and began walking to the streetcar stop.

"Y' do noble work, ma'am. It's the least I can do for ya compared t' the stuff y' do."  
He stated, giving his reasoning.  
The walk was slow and silent between them.

"Yes, well, thank you for your assistance."  
She said as soon as they made it to her destination.

"You'll be alright from here?"  
He asked.

"Yes, thank you kindly."

"Well, alright then. Have a good one."  
He smiled a bit and left her to wander around the area of the butcher's shop, standing outside a few minutes before Alastor was due to end his shift.  
  


Alastor's shift was as it usually was, and thankfully as the day went on he managed to relax a little more, his mind elsewhere and on work.   
When his shift ended, Anthony as planned was indeed waiting outside for him.

After clearing everything away within the store, Alastor grabbed his jacket and hat and with that, stepped out from the back of the store and walked around to the front again, greeting Anthony. He wasn't entirely sure where they were going to be talking this time. They could speak in Anthony's hotel room again, however, the other had made it somewhat clear that two men walking into a hotel room more than once could seem 'odd'.

Anthony smiled a bit and gave a small wave once he saw the man he was there to see, cigarette in between his lips.  
"Y' got an idea of someplace we could go t' talk?"  
He asked, putting his hands in his pockets as he pushed off of the wall, signaling that he was ready for their venture to where ever they were going.

Alastor glanced upwards in thought a moment before looking back down at Anthony.  
"Well, I don't suppose the hotel would be a good idea again. So, we could always speak back at my home. My mother will still be working until late tonight, so there won't be any worry of her or anyone overhearing anything."   
He suggested, beginning to walk in the direction of the streetcar stop.

Anthony gave a nod and followed at Alastor's side.  
"You feelin' any better than y' were this mornin'?"  
He asked, glancing up at the man.  
He was actually worried about him, thinking he maybe got too intense the night prior and laid into him a little too hard.

Alastor nodded as well at Anthony's question, glancing off to the side a little.   
"Yes, I most certainly am. Thank you for asking."   
He smiled, looking around at their surroundings a bit. There were people starting to gather for a night out most likely, as there usually were- some dressed up, others perhaps finishing their long workdays.

"Alright, good."  
Now he was _definitely_ curious as to what had happened that had Alastor on edge that morning. Something else that crossed his mind was the fact he was going to enter his home. The place he and apparently his mother lived. He had never entered someone else's home outside of the Family before. Was he going to meet Alastor's mother while he was there? She was at work, yes, but were they going to stay there long enough for her to come home? What was he going to do in that situation? How was he going to introduce himself?

It didn't take the two of them long to get to the streetcar stop that was close to Anthony's hotel, Alastor looking to the other as they waited.  
"Is there anything you require from your room? We have time if you're quick."   
He asked, knowing that the streetcar still had a couple of minutes yet.

The blonde thought about it for a moment before shaking his head.  
"No, I think I got everythin'."  
He stated as he patted himself down to make sure he was correct, having his notebook, pen, and wallet. He couldn't think of anything else he was going to need, so he left it at that.  
Looking around a bit, he tried to distract himself from his own mind as he whistled a small tune from an opera his father would listen to constantly, fingers tapping on his own thigh.

With a slow nod, Alastor quietened down, simply looking around up and down the street as they waited in near silence. Eventually, his gaze moved across to Anthony, listening to the tune he whistled.   
"You like music?"   
Alastor soon after asked, recognizing that song Anthony was whistling from somewhere, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what.

Anthony stopped and looked up at Alastor.  
"Hm? Oh, yeah, kinda. It's just been stuck in my head for a while."  
He took that as a hint for him to stop, thinking it might be annoying his acquaintance, now looking around again.

There was a bit of a longer pause, Alastor wondering why Anthony had since stopped whistling.   
"You'll like the music here. It's a different kind altogether."   
He stated with a small nod, looking up to the end of the road and spotting the streetcar.

Anthony looked up at Alastor again.  
"Yeah? I mean, all I know is Italian opera, so at this point, anythin' is better than that."  
He laughed a bit to himself, looking towards where the other was looking. He wasn't sure how this was supposed to really work so he planned on staying as close to Alastor as possible.  
"Though the music I heard around here has been real good. A nice change."

Alastor chuckled a little at that- opera wasn't his favorite genre by far, but if it was at all that Anthony knew, then he was sure going to show him how much of a variety of music there was. Especially in New Orleans.   
"Just you wait until Mardi Gras. I'm sure you'll be blown away, haha."   
As the streetcar approached, Alastor made his way over to the doors, presuming Anthony was following behind him.

Anthony smiled and followed close behind as expected. It was a little crowded but he was pretty small so he was able to fit in tighter spaces with ease.   
"The more I hear about it the more swell it sounds."  
He smiled slightly, finding a place snuggly right next to Alastor. He had to keep his eyes down and away from the other people on board, _especially_ Alastor.

The taller man sat down beside the blonde, and while it was snug as it usually was around this time of day, it didn't matter too much. As the stops went on, eventually more people got off, a few more getting on as well. Alastor knew a few people, offering them a wave or nod as they came and went.   
Half an hour later and Alastor was motioning for Anthony to get up and off the car with him.

Of course, the blonde nodded and followed his lead, following him off of the car. This part of the city was new to him because Batalier never seemed to come this way so naturally, he was immediately looking around. It was a pretty nice area from what he could see so far. It was a pretty calm area too.  
Anthony stayed silent as they walked along the street a bit, enjoying the sun and the singing birds.

Since they were a little out of the main center of the city, there was a lot more greenery around, and the river too was visible, it leading off to the bayous in the distance; but yes, it was a quiet area that Alastor liked very much.  
The house he and his mother was about a five-minute walk from the streetcar stop so he and Anthony didn't have to walk far.

Looking around, Anthony took a deep breath. The air seemed so pleasantly different in this city no matter which part you found yourself in.   
"So um... y' live in this area your whole life? It's nice."  
He said, looking up at street signs as they walked along to see street names and numbers.

Alastor hummed a sort of yes in regards to Anthony's question. While yes, the house had been his home for all of his life, when he was younger especially it wasn't like he was actually there very often to call it home. With his mother working constantly, he was in the care of another or friends who watched over him at their own homes, Rosie being one of those people.

"Yes, it is nice."   
Alastor agreed, turning a corner and leading Anthony down a shorter street closer to some trees in the distance.

Anthony took the short answer as a sign to shut his mouth, so that's exactly what he did; taking in more of the scenery as they walked. He couldn't recall any part of New York being even close to something like this. He still stood by what he said before. He _almost_ wanted to stay.

It wasn't long before they approached the front porch of the house, Alastor opening the door to the home, it not being at all unusual that it was left unlocked. 

"Now, as I mentioned before my mother is still working so we may discuss business freely here."   
Pausing before he stepped inside, Alastor made sure to take his shoes off before stepping over the threshold, leaving his shoes just outside the door.   
"If you would be so kind as to take your shoes off too."   
He asked, glancing over his shoulder at Anthony as he took his own hat off and hung it up with his jacket.

Anthony was about the step further but stopped when the man stopped and took his shoes off and made the request.  
"Oh, um, sure thing."  
He nodded, kneeling down to untie his laces and slip his socked feet out then followed Alastor into the house.

As soon as they stepped inside, Anthony was already looking around the place. It was well lit and very clean. It was _a lot_ smaller than his home back in New York, but lovely nonetheless.  
"So, what was the i-"  
He was interrupted by a bang from upstairs. It sounded like a cupboard closing quickly. It definitely made the Italian jump a bit.  
He looked up towards the stairs and then to Alastor, raising a finger to point up above him as if to ask if he heard it too and if that was normal.

Alastor was just about to close the front door behind Anthony when he heard the bang from upstairs. He didn't jump but was certainly suspicious. His mother was still working until late, and no one else lived in the home. Perhaps something had fallen?

Looking towards the blonde with a raised brow, he shrugged.   
"I'll check."   
He whispered, heading towards the stairs and quietly stepping up.

Anthony moved forward and grabbed Alastor's arm.  
"Wait, maybe I should go. We don't needja gettin' hurt."  
He whispered.   
Anthony didn't have his gun on him, but that would be fine. He managed to take Alastor down the previous night, so whoever was upstairs was bound to be just as easy to take down.

Taking a breath, Anthony started slowly and quietly making his way up the stairs. It was easier to do since he didn't have his shoes on.

Alastor scoffed a little, taking a step back as he let Anthony go in front.   
"It _could_ be nothing."   
He whispered back, not really knowing why either of them were being so cautious. It most probably _was_ nothing. Anthony may not have wanted him to follow behind, but he did anyway, it being his home and all.

Anthony glanced back at Alastor for a moment with a raised brow.  
"If y' really think it's nothin', why're y' whisperin'?"  
He asked as he continued slowly.

Once at the top of the stairs, he could hear something like paper rustling from behind a closed door to the left.   
He slowly put his hand on the knob and prepared himself for the unexpected before quickly opening the door.

It did puzzle Alastor as to why Anthony was headed for the bathroom, and when the door was opened, the culprit of the closing cupboard sound was revealed; his eyes widening.

Inside, sitting on the lid of the toilet seat, sat the nurse Anthony helped earlier that day who let out a gasp, her head snapping towards the two men standing in the door. Her hair was down and she had tears streaming down her face. She had a sheet covering her body, seeming to have no clothes on under it.   
There were cuts and bruises lining her arms that looked both old and new as well as fresh stitches on her upper right arm. There were blood-soaked rags in the sink as well.  
"Qui êtes-vous? Alastor? Sortez tous les deux!"  
She shouted, quickly covering herself more.

Anthony's eyes widened slightly, frozen in place for a moment before he quickly stepped out and shut the door again, now silently standing in the hallway with Alastor still behind him.  
"You're uh... you..."  
He couldn't even speak.

Alastor too stood silent for a brief second, unsure what exactly had just happened. His mother was home, that much was clear now, but everything else wasn't. It had happened again.  
"Mama? I apologize, we thought you weren't in!"   
He called out in English so that Anthony would be able to understand too, however, there was clear concern and worry in his tone.

"Anthony, I really think it's best you wait downstairs. She's not decent in there. I'll be down shortly, make yourself at home if you wish."   
He spoke quickly, gripping the bathroom door handle and slowly starting to open it.

Anthony didn't waste a second, marching his way right back downstairs without a word. Never in his _life_ had he been so mortified. He just walked in on Alastor's _mother_ , indecent, seemingly tending to her wounds. He didn't know what he was supposed to do or think. He was actually ready to just go back to the hotel.

Amélie covered herself again as she heard the doorknob start to turn.  
"Alastor, _please_ , now is _not_ a good time."  
She said as she walked up to the door, trying to push it closed again.

She may have tried to close the door to stop her son from coming in, however, Alastor was already inside the room before she could shut it properly.   
"Mama, listen to me."   
Alastor began calmly, briefly looking over his mother's injuries.   
"You _can't_ allow this to happen. I need to help you. You have to help yourself too. You've done it before, so why not now? What's any different from then to now?"

Situating himself beside his mother on the edge of the bathtub, Alastor took his mother's hands.  
"Please tell me. Let me help you."

Her eyes watered as she avoided eye contact, not able to look her own son in the eyes as she squeezed his hands gently. She hadn't been so weak nor had Alastor seen her this weak in a _very_ long time.

"This is different, Alastor. This is my _job_ on the line. If you were in danger, it would be a different story."  
She stated as firmly as she could without letting her voice crack.  
"I have no voice. I have no power. Everything will be okay though. I promise."

Alastor absolutely hated seeing his mother this way. There was nothing he despised more.  
"This is _no_ different and you know it."   
He spoke a little firmer this time to match his mother's tone.   
"But you're right. This _will_ be okay."   
Alastor already had plans to ensure that.

"Now, I apologize for the sudden intrusion, I had presumed you were still working. But I am glad that you returned home safely. I have a friend here currently, you don't need to come down if you do not wish. Once he's left, I'll help you with your wounds."   
Letting go of his mother's hands, Alastor stood.

Amélie took a few breaths and shook her head with a small laugh.  
"Quite the way to meet someone."  
She said softly.  
"I'll leave the two of you to it and be down to make some dinner shortly."  
She added, standing as well so she could clean up her mess.

Alastor turned back to his mother as he opened the door shaking his head.   
"You lie down. I will make some food for us once Anthony has left."   
With that, he closed the door behind him, slowly making his way back down the stairs to Anthony.

The Italian in question remained downstairs, sitting on the bottom stair. Anything he heard from upstairs was in French, so he didn't understand what was being said. Not that it mattered.   
Now that he had those few minutes to himself, he started to worry. He didn't even _know_ the woman but to see her wounded and distraught like that upset him.   
Thinking back, she must have been injured on the job, and working in the same building Batallier was constantly in, Anthony was able to piece things together and get an idea of what happened. He knew the things that Batallier did regularly but this was taking things too far.

Once he heard the bathroom door open, the blonde quickly stood from his spot and looked up at the top.  
"Is she gunna be okay?"  
He asked softly once he saw Alastor.

"Well, that depends, my friend."   
He spoke calmly.   
"It depends on whether you do your job or let me do my job. In fact, if you had simply let me do as I was last night, then this _would not_ have even happened!"

Anthony's eyes shifted down to the floor, flinching a bit at his words. Alastor had a point. If he didn't stop the hit from happening the night before, Alastor's mother wouldn't have been harmed so terribly.   
The blonde remained silent for a few moments, unsure of what to really even say.

"This is why y' want him gone, isn't it..."  
He stated quietly, keeping his eyes on the floor.  
"I didn't know he was doin' this. I knew everythin' else but this? No. This ain't gunna sit well. When I get back to the hotel, I'll give home a buzz and push for it t' happen sooner."  
His eyes finally trailed up to look Alastor in the face so he would know he was being honest.  
"He _will_ be taken down, Al."

Alastor simply ignored everything Anthony had to say, brushing past him and moving into the lounge, grabbing a book that sat on the table before returning to Anthony at the foot of the stairs.   
"We can discuss upstairs."   
He said as he began his ascent up the stairs once more, presuming that Anthony was following him to his room which was the one right at the end of the hallway. 

Anthony knew that nothing he said would be heard or seen to reason so he decided to stay quiet as he followed Alastor up the stairs and to a room across from the bathroom.

Turning the doorknob, Alastor stepped in, putting the book down on the chest of drawers that was just to his left. His room was absolutely pristine, not a singular thing out of place. Alastor liked it that way, so he hoped that Anthony would not snoop around too much.

The blonde glanced around but didn't say anything, closing the door behind him and just stood there until something was said on the other's part, following the golden rule of his own household: don't speak unless spoken to.  
He genuinely felt horrible about the whole situation.

Alastor raised a brow as Anthony just stood there in the doorway, motioning to a chair that was by one of the few bookshelves in the room.   
"So. What did want to speak about regarding Batallier."   
Alastor made sure to keep his voice relatively low in case his mother was close by or possibly resting by now.

Anthony slowly moved over to the chair and sat down.  
"I gotta know everything you've got on him. Every detail."  
He replied, taking the notebook and pen out of his pocket.  
"We gotta be on the same page with all this."  
He clarified, glancing to the bookshelf for a moment before focusing on Alastor.

Alastor nodded, moving over to the desk in front of the window, picking up a book from the surface and passed it across to Anthony, moving to sit on a stool opposite him.  
"I have more things if you need them. This is just what I have gathered in the past few weeks."   
He sighed, letting the other read through his notes as he wished.

Anthony hesitantly took the book and slowly opened it, skimming over the contents to see how many pages were used out of the whole thing.  
"Y' know him well then."  
He stated as he opened his own book and started comparing what they had.

There was a moment's silence before Alastor nodded once more.   
"What do _you_ know of him? Considering you haven't been here long, I still have a feeling you're quite informed on the man."   
He voiced his thoughts, untying his bow tie, and placing it neatly away in one of his drawers since he didn't plan to go out anymore today.

Anthony sat back in his chair, turning his attention fully to the notebook he brought and flipped back to the first page.  
"Well, the reason we're after him is 'cause he's distributing alcohol on a massive scale. So big that he's impactin' New York. We've been loosin' a lotta money over this twit and I gotta figure out what else he's been up to."  
He began.  
"He's dealin' drugs that he's takin' from the hospital, but I dunno if that's as big as the booze. Pretty sure he's got ties with the Families everywhere he's puttin' out in _but_ New York, probably thinking he's some untouchable hotshot that doesn't need t' talk t' us about nothin'."  
He cleared his throat, thinking he was going too deep into his family.

"Anyways... booze, dope, unfaithful to his wife whether it's consensual or not, not sure if that's just exclusive to women or includes men too, and abuse. _Extreme_ abuse. There's probably more that I ain't got just yet."

Alastor listened carefully, nodding along with everything that Anthony was saying, having come to some of the same conclusions as him, the mafia part obviously not something that Alastor could have guessed without Anthony having shown up.   
"Well, I can tell you that at least _some_ of his flings with women other than his wife are most certainly _not_ consensual; and it is undoubtedly exclusively women. It would be an understatement to say that he is the sort of person who has a deep... _distaste_ for homosexuals."  
Alastor trailed off, eyes hovering upon Anthony for a brief second longer than what was normal before he looked back across the room again.

Of course, Anthony wasn't going to rule out that Batallier is pure in terms of homosexual relations. He knew how horrible of a person the target was so nothing wasn't impossible. He also knew of the dangers someone with such abnormal attractions faced, having heard conversations about it within his house.

"The abuse has been going on for a while, as has the dealing of drugs, however, I did overhear from somebody that it is exclusive to the city here."   
Alastor continued, and he didn't just mean his mother's abuse- no, there were _many_ other women affected by Lawrence Batallier too.

Anthony listened, writing down Alastor's conclusions.  
"I suggest y' tell your mom t' say home until all this blows over. She might be home for a few days given the stitches in her arm anyway, but who really knows..."  
He sighed.

Alastor already knew that wasn't going to happen so easily. His mother was a workaholic at times, no matter her state.   
"I will ask her to stay, however, whether she listens is another thing entirely. That job is her life. It always has been."   
Alastor explained.

"I'm gunna call my dad as soon as I can and tell him everythin'. Letters just ain't fast enough with things bein' so outta hand."  
The Italian sighed, closing both books and handing Alastor his back.

Alastor _would_ have offered to let Anthony call his father on a phone, however, he didn't have one. He knew a lady who had one not too far away, however she was an awfully nosey person so would most likely listen in to anything Anthony said, which wasn't ideal of course.   
"Well then, is that everything you wished to talk about?"

"Is this why y' were so outta whack this mornin'?"  
He asked. This would be the last thing for their meeting today. He would be going out and following Batallier again later that evening.

Alastor tilted his head a little at that, confused only for a second before realizing what Anthony had meant.  
"Oh, haha. No. I suppose I was just quite antsy. Hardly a big deal, my friend."   
Taking his notebook back from Anthony, Alastor moved over to his bookshelf, parting some of the books to make room.   
"It's nothing serious."

Anthony didn't believe that for a second but didn't say anything else.  
"Alright. Well, I guess that's it for t'day. Y' gunna join me t'night or are y' gunna stay in?"  
He asked.

The bookshelf that Alastor was _trying_ to fit his notebook onto, one which clearly didn't have very much space left- three books suddenly slipped out from where Alastor was trying to force them apart, falling onto the floor beneath him.

"Goddamit."   
He muttered under his breath, managing to fit his notebook in, but now with three of his other books on the floor.   
"Uh- no. I have to tend to my mother tonight."   
He replied, mind elsewhere as he went to kneel down to gather the fallen items.

Anthony jumped into action as soon as the books hit the floor, kneeling from his seat and started picking them up.   
"That's probably best. Make sure she's safe."  
One of the books had opened upon impact, green eyes looking the open page over for a moment.

"You don't have to help."   
Alastor added as he noticed Anthony practically leap from his seat.

"Got a green thumb?"  
He asked with a bit of a laugh as he stood, closing the book.  
"Some kinda garden fairy or somethin'?"  
He handed the books off, trying to get to know Alastor and see if he could figure him out a little more.

The man rolled his eyes- more so at the comment than anything.   
"Very funny. It's an enjoyable hobby of mine."   
He explained, taking the books back before standing and this time managing to fit them all on the shelf.

"Yeah? What other hobbies y' got?"  
He asked, looking at some of the spines of the books on the shelves to see what else he had, putting his notebook and pen back in his pocket.

Alastor cleared his throat as he watched Anthony look up and down his bookshelf.   
"You know, I think I just picked up a new hobby."   
He started slightly smugly, leaning against the bookshelf with an arm.   
"Dismembering small Italian boys who don't know how to mind their own business."   
Alastor spoke cheerfully with a smile, blinking a few times in Anthony's direction.

"Oh, ha ha. Yeah, I can take a hint, relax."  
That _definitely_ wasn't the first time he had been threatened like that so he knew just to laugh it off and move on, putting his hands in his pockets and turned his attention away from the selves, looking around at the rest of the room.   
So this was where Alastor slept? It was a really nice space, he'd give it that much.

"Anything else y' wanted t' talk about? I'd also like t' apologize t' your mother for bursting in on her the way I did... if I can. Doesn't have t' be today, 'course."  
He added.

In terms of needing to talk about anything else, for now, Alastor wasn't sure he had anything. He needed to tend to his mother now, so if there was anything he needed to speak to Anthony for, he'd do so the following day.   
"I can imagine she is resting right now. Perhaps if you next see her you can make your apologies."  
Leading Anthony over to his bedroom door, Alastor opened it for the other, stepping out just after him.   
"And _I_ apologize for the fact that you had to see my mother in such a state. It wasn't her intention."

"No, 'course. I shoulda let you handle it."  
He never thought in a million years would his first time seeing a woman like that be a friend's mother. Mortifying for everyone.

There were sounds of chopping coming from downstairs that Anthony picked up on as soon as he was out in the hallway and headed down. He turned to Alastor for a moment before following the sound into the kitchen.

Alastor too heard the sound of chopping, his resolve thinning by the second as they made it downstairs; immediately moving past Anthony.   
"Mama, _why_ are you not resting?"   
Alastor called as he walked into the kitchen.   
"You overwork yourself too much, too often. I will take over."   
He sighed, looking back at Anthony before glancing again to his mother.

Realizing she'd been caught, Amélie sighed and set the knife down, turning to the taller man.  
"Alastor, really, as long as I'm still breathing I'll be able to do these things."  
She then noticed Anthony standing behind her son.  
"Oh, hello. My apologies."  
She began wiping her hands on a towel before extending her hand to their guest, who she now recognized as the man who helped her to the stop earlier that day.  
"Thank you for your help earlier today and I apologize you met me officially the way you did. I'm Amélie."  
She smiled, brushing Alastor's scolding off.

Anthony gave a bit of a smile in return, taking the woman's hand and brought it to his lips for a quick peck on the knuckles.  
"Anthony. Sorry for walkin' in on ya like that, ma'am. Al thought y' weren't home."  
He explained.

"Ah, yes, well I was sent home early. I didn't think we would be having company over today and was hoping Alastor would get caught up in something before coming home."  
She explained as her hand was released again.

Before he could respond to his mother, it seemed she'd noticed Anthony in the room, and to Alastor's complete surprise, recognized him?   
"I... see you two have already met?" 

He inquired with a raised brow, maneuvering around his mother as she was busy talking with Anthony, and he began to chop some of the vegetables himself.

"Yeah, I helped her t' the stop when she got out..."  
He became quieter with each word. He was right after all. She _was_ hurt when she was leaving the hospital yet she played it off so well that she wasn't. This woman was strong, he'd give her that much.

"That's correct. I do appreciate your help, Anthony."  
Amélie smiled.

"You should have come to the store if you were hurt, mama. The boss wouldn't have minded and they have medical supplies there too."   
He sighed, looking across again at Anthony and his mother.   
"But I suppose what is done is done."

The woman sighed softly, turning towards Alastor again.  
"I wasn't sure if it was busy today and didn't want to intrude nor make a scene. Surely you understand."  
She sighed as she went into the pantry.  
"Now, Anthony, will you be staying for dinner?"

The smaller male looked up at Alastor for a moment to see what he would have to say about it, seeing as he was the man of the house.

Alastor glanced at Anthony, seeing that he was looking to him for an answer for his mother. In return, he just shrugged. It was already clear that no matter what he tried to do, his mother was going to be cooking regardless, so if Anthony wanted to stay, so be it.

Anthony _still_ couldn't read this man very well. He wouldn't mind staying and seeing what a home-cooked meal was like around here but he didn't want to make Alastor uncomfortable with his presence. It was bad enough they had to work together on this little project of theirs.

After a moment of deliberation, Anthony finally shook his head.  
"No, I gotta get back t' the hotel and make a few calls. The sooner I make 'em the better."  
He concluded with his explanation. He knew Alastor would know what he was talking about.   
"Thanks for the invitation though. Maybe another time."  
He smiled a bit with a nod.

Alastor watched Anthony mull it over in his brain before the other settled on an answer, Alastor going back to chopping the vegetables once he had given his answer.

"Well, if you're sure. You're welcome here any time, Anthony. Again, I do apologize for the circumstances of our first official meeting."  
Amélie smiled in return.

"That was on me, don't even worry 'bout it."  
He replied as he clapped Alastor on the back before starting to head back to the front door.  
"I'll see ya t'morrow, yeah?"

"Good luck with those calls. See you tomorrow." 

Alastor called to Anthony from the kitchen, pausing his chopping for a minute to see Anthony out.  
"Tell your father the sooner, the better if you can."   
He spoke a little quieter as he opened the door.   
"Oh, and don't get lost on your way back, haha!"

Anthony nodded as he stepped out, slipped his shoes on, tied up his laces quickly before standing again.  
"Aww, Smiles is worried about me. Ain't that sweet."  
He smirked, reaching up and giving his cheek a pat or two.  
"Don't worry. I'll be fine."  
He then stated as he started heading to the street and walking back towards the stop.

Alastor flinched slightly at the few pats to his cheek, rolling his eyes with a small smile at Anthony's comment before closing the door. He hoped they'd be able to get Batallier soon.

Turning on his heels, with a cheerful smile Alastor made his way back into the kitchen, set on helping his mother with everything she needed.

As soon as Anthony got back to his room, he kept to his word and called his father. This conversation, like all others, was going to be spoken in strict Italian. Not many switchboard operators spoke it, Italian not even being in the top ten languages spoken in the United States.

"Ragnatela."  
Anthony's father answered.

"Sir, I have important information to relay."  
Anthony said, barely giving his father enough time to finish his usual greeting.

"Tony, this better be good. I was in the middle of something important."

"I need to know how close we are to having enough information."

"I haven't even gotten your first letter yet. Why?"

"He's not worthy of life, dad. To sum up what I got, yes, he _is_ distributing goods on a large scale but also dope locally." 

"Tony."

"He's hurting people. _Innocent_ people."

" _Anthony._ "

" _Women_ , dad. Ran into one of his victims today. She was in real bad condition. We have to act soon or w-"

_"Antonio!"_

Anthony stopped immediately. He could feel the earth shake even from the one thousand three hundred and five miles of distance between them.

"You are not to speak of these things over the telephone. People are listening and we don't know if they speak our language."  
His voice was eerily calm now.  
"You are not to get caught up in anyone else's problems. You are to _obey_ what I tell you and you are to continue as _planned_. So _shut up_ and do your _damn_ job _right_."

Anthony opened his mouth to speak but was met with a disconnected sound.   
"Yes, sir..."  
He sighed before putting the phone back on the receiver, he slumped down onto the bed, eyes focused on the floor as he rubbed his face.

Of course, his father wouldn't care. He didn't know why he expected otherwise. Considering what happened to his mother, he really should have known better.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Sunday, January 9th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Because Anthony knew where Alastor lived now and they had spent the last three evenings together, observing their target, he became more and more curious about what Alastor did in his free time, so instead of doing his job that following Sunday, he decided he would get to know who he was working with.  
There wasn't much said between the two while they were together, Alastor getting more and more on edge the longer they waited. Anthony didn't want to agitate him more than he already was. He did know that Amélie decided to take the advice given to her and take some time away from work and Batallier as a whole, so that eased both of their minds a bit; for now.

That Sunday, Anthony made sure to find a decent spot to perch that was out of sight where he had a good view of Alastor's house early in the morning. Thankfully there were lots of trees around the area he lived, so that made his task easier. He made sure to have a brand new notebook with him to fill throughout his day, this one to be used for his partner in crime only.

Sundays were one of the only days that Alastor usually had time to spend with his mother, however with her having been off for a few days prior, Alastor decided to go out on his own for a while. His mother had gone to church that morning and that left him to himself.

With a mere book in his possession, Alastor headed out early from his home, whistling a tune to himself as he began to walk towards the trees and in the direction of where the river bank was a few minutes away.

Anthony watched as Alastor's mother left the house and was curious as to where she was going and was worried for her safety. While debating whether or not to follow her or stick to his original plan, Alastor made his appearance not long after.  
Making his choice, he started to slowly and quietly climb out of the tree he was perched in to follow the man, careful to keep a fair distance between them and made sure to stay more or less out of sight in case Alastor decided to look over his shoulder.

Anthony wasn't sure where his accomplice was off to or if this was something he did often. He was entirely in the dark about all of this. Alastor was still a fairly big mystery. Anthony could tell there were still many secrets to be learned.

Alastor usually made the most of his days off, spending every second of it usually down the river in a spot he'd been hanging out by himself in for years; and that was exactly where he was headed now.  
A few years ago, a neighbor had helped him build a boat that he could easily get down the bayou in as he pleased, and ever since then usually there wasn't a weekend he didn't sail it down the swampy water of the bayou.

It was no surprise that the weather was warm today, but with a spring in his step Alastor continued on through the neighborhood, the houses becoming more scarce as he came closer to the thicker tree line a short way away from the river where his boat was.

Anthony made sure he never lost sight of today's special target. Once Alastor came to a stop at the riverbank, Anthony stopped where he was and ducked behind a tree; something he wished there was more of back home.  
He watched as Alastor uncovered a rowboat.  
With a sigh, Anthony pulled out his notebook and started taking some quick notes, assuming this was the end of the line until Alastor returned from wherever it was he was going to.

There were already a few belongings of Alastor's in the wooden rowboat, thus why he hadn't brought anything with him from his home, however as he was grabbing the oars for the boat, he quickly turned his attention to the trees he'd just walked through, a smile creeping up his face.  
"Want to join me?"  
He called out loud enough. 

Anthony froze with the pen on his paper, only able to move his eyes. Was Alastor actually aware he was there or was this just something he did to bluff? He wasn't sure. He stayed silent for a few moments to try and weigh his options.

"I'm presuming you have nothing better to do on this fine Sunday."

At the second half of the callout, the blonde blinked a few times, holding his breath as he slowly removed the pen from the paper.

There was a moment's silence, Alastor continuing to get everything ready with his boat.  
"I know you're there, Anthony. Quite the little weasel, aren't you?"  
He called loudly again, waiting to hear the rustling of leaves from the tree he knew Anthony was behind.

Rolling his eyes, the Italian finally let out the breath he was holding and closed his book.  
"Y' got no right callin' me a weasel, Levesque."  
He called back as he put the notebook back in his pocket and straightened out his shirt before moving out from behind the tree, now slowly approaching the taller man with a bit of an annoyed huff.

Looking towards Anthony as he revealed himself, Alastor gave him a once over.  
"Why, how rude."  
He chuckled, sitting down on the plank that went across the boat on the inside that was used as a seat.  
"Do you want to join me? If you're observing and following me, then there's no use being left behind now, is there?"

Rubbing his neck as he came closer, Anthony supposed there was no harm in joining him. He was really believing Alastor had some sort of unexplainable power of knowledge that freaked him out a bit; always kept him on his toes.  
"Alright, I guess I could. Try anythin' and I'll put 'cha on the ground again though."  
He stated as he stopped at the edge of the water.  
The Italian had never been on a boat before if he was telling the honest truth.  
"Is this safe?"

"My my, why can't we be friends, hm? It's as safe as anything. Built it myself. Well, near enough myself."  
Alastor began, gesturing to the other plank of wood opposite him for Anthony to sit down.  
"I've dug the six-foot grave for you especially, just further down the river here."  
Of course, that was a joke- and Alastor found it pretty funny, but in reality, he'd never be so stupid as to bury a body right by a riverbank.

Anthony replied with a clearly sarcastic laugh before clearing his throat and hesitantly getting in the boat, making sure to step in the center of it as not to tip it any which way and quickly sat down. The boat did sway a bit, but it was nothing overly terrifying that made him jump right out again and flat out refuse.

Alastor watched in slight amusement as Anthony stepped slowly onto the narrow and small boat, clearly having never been on one before judging by how nervous he looked.

"Alright, so uh... where're we off to?"  
He asked as he held tightly to the sides of the boat, looking over the side for a moment at the mossy water and then at Alastor again.

"I already told you what my plans are." 

Alastor spoke with another grin, lowering the ores into their holds on either side of the boat.

Standing up once more, Alastor untied the boat from the riverbank, throwing the rope onto the ground as he pushed off from the bank.  
"I have a small spot up the bayou I occasionally go to read or to simply relax. There are a few things I need to do over there as well."

Anthony nodded.  
"Right, yeah. Alright."  
He was really doing his best to seem calm and in control but really it probably looked like he was about to soil himself with his knees pressed tightly together and a death grip on the sides of the boat.  
He'd read about the potentially dangerous animals that resided in the river and swamps, so if he fell in, well, that would be the end of him; he'd be dead of a heart attack long before anything could eat him.

"Do you swim?"  
Alastor asked after a few moments, using one of the ores and the riverbank to turn the boat in the direction of the rest of the bayou.  
"Also, as much as I would like staying out here all day and night, the mosquitoes will quite literally eat us alive if we're still out here by sundown. And many other creatures too, but that's beside the point."

Anthony's brows furrowed and pushed the right corner of his mouth out in a vexed expression, displeased by the lack of comfort from his fears.  
"I can keep my head above water but nothin' besides that."  
He stated as he slowly loosened his grip and then put his hands in his lap, doing his best to relax.

Alastor nodded, raising a brow a bit at Anthony's body language. It was clear he was still nervous, despite his best efforts to look relaxed.  
"Well, best hope you don't fall in then."  
And with that, they were on the main stretch of the bayou, it being practically a straight line from thereon.

After rowing for a few minutes, Alastor paused. The air was muggy and the effort of rowing was quite tiring as it was; so, letting the boat drift for a minute, Alastor slipped off his jacket and untied his sleeve garter, being able to roll the sleeves of his white shirt up now, folding the ends over neatly.

Anthony was busy looking around at the trees that lined the river's edge when he heard the ores be set down. He looked at Alastor now and watched as he adjusted his attire for the weather, noticing the toned muscles of his biceps become more noticeable.  
"How d' ya manage wearin' so many layers all the time? It's always so warm here."  
He asked, trying not to watch the man's arms but couldn't help himself. 

Alastor shrugged, picking back up the ores again and rowing once more.  
"I suppose you get used to it eventually. And there are always ways to keep cool."  
He nodded. 

Once the ores were picked back up and in use by Alastor, the muscles in his biceps and veins in his forearms became more obvious and protruding. Anthony had to force himself to keep his eyes off of those beautifully rugged limbs.

In terms of his muscles at least, Alastor didn't consider himself too muscular at all. He was quite slender and tall, but his arms were relatively muscular partly due to these little rowing trips he made so frequently, and also due to his work; slicing and chopping up meat on the regular. It required at least _some_ muscle.  
He was definitely more built than Anthony seemed to be, that was certain.  
"I guess so. I mean, y' ain't exposed t' get snow or nothin' like that down here, right?"  
He stated with a bit of a shrug, going back to looking at their surroundings.

Glancing down at the water, Alastor pointed at a creature.  
"Look, a toad."  
He chuckled, looking towards a toad that half sat on a lily pad just out of the boat's path. 

Anthony's upper lip raised in mild disgust at the amphibian, seeming less than fond of the slimy little creature; then looked back at Alastor, relaxing his face again to a more neutral expression.

"But yes, we don't have snow here. However, it's not impossible. I've seen it twice or so, but it wasn't anything measurable. Coldest Mardi Gras was before I was born, 1895. Three inches of snow, can you believe?"

"Huh, the more y' know."

He gave a bit of a nod with a raised brow. He didn't believe that for a second but he wasn't going to argue about it. He wasn't from the area and didn't know jack about its history so he supposed there was the possibility.

Alastor continued to sweep the ores through the river quite a ways, the two of them occasionally spotting fish jumping out of the water which surprised the Italian, every time he even saw a fish, he wouldn't be able to pull his eyes away from it until it was out of sight. He didn't know what it was about fish but they just interested him to no end. They saw a few toads and frogs swimming along as well, but Anthony didn't find much interest in those.  
The water itself was marshy, and the trees hung low, but the scenery was undeniably beautiful, so much greenery and the sounds of wildlife all around them.

Soon enough, near a part of the riverbank that stuck out slightly, a clear place to dock a boat was visible, Alastor slowly beginning to row closer, grabbing the rope that was on the floor of the boat.  
"Alright, we're here."

Looking around when Alastor spoke up, Anthony couldn't tell where they were or what their purpose here was.  
"What's so important about this place?"  
He asked.

Placing down the ores, Alastor leaned out of the boat to toss one end of the rope onto the bank, glancing back at Anthony.  
"There's nothing too special about it I suppose. It's just a place I enjoy coming to and have built a few things here over the years. Not to mention, there's a hill close by that has a swell view of the sky."  
He explained.

Deciding to leave his jacket on the boat, Alastor stood properly and quickly stepped out onto the bank, quickly tying the loose end of the rope to the trunk of a tree before offering a hand out to Anthony.

The blonde looked at the hand offered to him and shook his head.  
"Don't treat me like a child, I can handle gettin' outta here myself."  
He huffed and stood, the boat rocking a bit from the sudden weight shift. 

Alastor blinked a couple of times as the hand he offered was rejected, the man stepping back, hands resting behind him as he waited for Anthony. 

Once he was stable, the Italian confidently went to step out of the boat but his foot ended up getting caught on the side and made the boat shift back further into the water, sending the Italian face-first into the water with a splash.  
He was frantic at first, it all had happened so fast. The water wasn't too deep, luckily, so he was able to sit up quickly and cough up any murky water he may have swallowed and got some air.

Before Anthony even fell, Alastor watched as the others foot got caught on the side, Alastor simply shaking his head and taking another step back when the inevitable splash suddenly came.

"Are you _kidding_ me?!"  
He groaned once it all had processed, just sitting in the water in defeat with his now soaked and muddy hair covering his eyes.

Even though he saw it coming, Alastor couldn't help but laugh at the sorry sight of Anthony sitting in the murky swamp water, pieces of moss and mud already sticking to his hair.

"You can handle it, yes? Great! I'll leave you to it then."  
Alastor chuckled, smugly turning away from the shorter man and headed further into the trees.  
"Foolish pride will get you nowhere Anthony! Except maybe a swampy river, haha!"  
He called with joy, knowing that the other could hear him.

Anthony groaned and started pulling himself to stand up, soaked to the bone. He shook his head to get his hair out of his face and looked down at himself. Taking the first step to getting himself up out of the water completely wasn't successful at all, stepping in mud that practically ate his foot. He didn't notice until he tried to pull himself out and was held back. Looking down at his foot to see what the holdup was, he started pulling at his leg.

"Mi prendi per il culo?! Alastor!!"  
He called out as he continued to struggle to free himself.

Alastor stopped in his tracks, turning around with a sigh as he began to walk back over to the pathetic mess who was now stuck in the mud of the swamp it seemed. And what a funny sight it was.  
"And how do you plan on getting out of that then, hm? How are you going to _handle_ that?"  
He asked as he looked down at the smaller man.  
"And to think that this wouldn't have happened had you let me help you out of the boat. You're lucky it's not dusk- wouldn't want the gators seeing you like this."

"Stop bein' condescendin'... and help... me-!?"  
He grunted, however, as soon as he finished talking, the mud suddenly set Anthony free and sent him back onto the grassy shore with a thud.  
His soaked shirt was white, so it revealed his pale and thin figure underneath; the clothes he wore would always make him look bigger than he actually was, much like a cat. Once you got it wet you could see how thin and lanky it actually was under all of the fur.

Anthony laid there for a few moments, just staring up into the trees as he contained his annoyance. 

Alastor was just about to help Anthony, but alas he managed to get himself free of the mud, miraculously managing to keep his shoes.  
"You'll dry off."  
He spoke, raising a brow as he looked Anthony up and down, concluding in his mind that the smaller man was even scrawnier than he first thought.

"Lo odio..."  
The Italian muttered to himself, starting to get up after another moment.

Pausing, Alastor took a step towards Anthony, reaching out for his hair and picking out a chunk of green from the swamp that had stuck to Anthony's blonde locks.  
"You'll need to wash your hair- it's awfully muddy."

Anthony sighed in defeat once again, lowering his head.  
"Yeah..."  
He got up, stepped back towards the riverbank and crouched down carefully, cupping his hands, and scooping up some water, using what he could to clean himself off to the best of his ability. It took a fair few minutes to accomplish, but most of the mud and moss was removed now.

"Alright. Let's go."  
He said as he stood up again, turning to Alastor, slicking his hair back out of his face.

While waiting around for Anthony to rinse off his hair and muddy shoes, Alastor lit up a cigarette, watching the smoke rise through the low hanging trees they were under.  
When Anthony was finally ready, Alastor smiled, watching as the other slicked his hair back. "Hm."  
He hummed before turning on his heels once again, walking off, once again presuming that Anthony was behind.

Alastor really couldn't believe it. He knew it had happened a good few minutes ago now, but he still couldn't help but smile to himself over the fact that Anthony had actually fallen into the water. It was hilarious that such a skilled person in self-defense with a seemingly quiet exterior could be so clumsy and stupid at the same time. It _really_ amused the man in some sort of way.

Anthony was admittedly embarrassed about that whole scene that just happened. It definitely wasn't ideal when he was trying to show that he was capable and independent. If his family saw that, well, he could already feel the disappointment.  
He decided to just silently follow behind the other, ruling out that anything he said at this point might cause him to make a bigger fool of himself- if that was at all possible.

There were a few moments of silence as they walked, Alastor eventually looking over at the other and speaking.  
"You're quite clumsy, you know."  
He grinned, pointing out the obvious.  
"Despite how tough you try to be, putting on a sort of front, I can see it's not all entirely true."  
Alastor wasn't trying to come across as rude of course, he was simply still trying to figure Anthony out entirely.

"I could say the same for you."  
Anthony replied as he started to untuck his shirt and unbutton it so he could take it off and wring as much of the water out of it as possible. This would ultimately wrinkle and crease the shirt, but that was the least of his problems. If it got ruined, he had plenty of others back home that were also better quality than this one. Plus there were shops in the city that carried clothes as well.

Alastor huffed a small laugh at that one, shaking his head.  
" _I_ am certainly not clumsy in the slightest. And I put on no front."  
He explained, watching from the corner of his eye as Anthony undid his shirt buttons and as he took his shirt off, Alastor averted his gaze.

Anthony stripped himself of his shirt and started to twist it, water already dripping from the fibers and down his bare body from his still soaked hair. He noticed Alastor look away and raised a brow.  
"What? Y' never see a guy without a shirt b'fore?"  
He asked as he looked down at himself.

Anthony may have been a sentient walking twig, but he was by no means weak or malnourished. If he flexed there would have been some definition in his muscles. Of course, self-image was a work in progress. He wanted to get bigger so he could intimidate people rather than have yet another person underestimate him.

Alastor glanced back at Anthony with a roll of his eyes, looking at the puddle of water that had pooled on the ground under Anthony's shirt.  
"Of course I have, I'm simply not being rude by staring."  
He nodded, raising an eyebrow at Anthony's stature that was on display now, a few marks on his body and freckles that were sprinkled over his shoulders.  
After a few brief seconds, Alastor turned back around again.  
"Now, are you finished? We can't be here all day."

Anthony gave a few more tight twists before unrolling the shirt and just put it over his shoulder for now. The shirt was just going to get wet again from his skin so there was no point in putting it on yet.  
He gestured for Alastor to continue, putting his hands in his pockets, remembering the notebook that was now probably ruined. He didn't say anything though, not wanting to hold Alastor up any longer.

Alastor too didn't say anything more, simply leading Anthony through the trees until eventually, they came to a small grassy clearing, a shed hidden amongst a few trees clearly visible now that they were close. Outside of the shed, just off to the side, was a shallow rectangular box, one that had a lid that could be lifted up.

"Alright, we're here."  
Alastor smiled, walking up to the door of the shed and pushing it open.

Anthony stopped once he saw the small structure, raising a brow.  
"So, the garden fairy's got a little place for all his plant friends, does he?"  
He teased, continuing to follow but at a bit of a slower pace now, watching as he opened the door.

Alastor did laugh at that, holding the door open with his foot for a second as he pulled a plant pot over to the door, using it to keep it open.  
"Yes Anthony, this garden fairy does have a little place for his plants."  
He spoke.

The shed wasn't large by any means, but it was enough to stand in and move around slightly. The back wall of the shed was something that was a little different from all the other walls, looking like it had been nailed together quite quickly with less care.

Anthony wasn't expecting a response like that so he stayed quiet as he approached. He pulled the drenched notebook out of his pocket to inspect the damage. After a quick assessment, he concluded that it would be fine if it had some time to dry, so he opened it and started to carefully separate the pages.

"So,"  
He began.  
"Y' come out here often?"  
He asked, now carefully leaning against the doorframe, easing his weight on it to make sure it wouldn't collapse.

Walking a little further into the shed, Alastor knelt down to pick up a metal watering can, exiting the shed soon after, looking towards Anthony.  
"Yes, whenever I can really. I would love to come out here more, however, with work, it's quite difficult."

There was a small stream that ran from the main river that cut through the clearing that Alastor's shed was in, a perfect place to gather water for the plants and special herbs he grew.

Anthony gave a bit of a nod, looking around again.  
"What 'cha do with your plants? Why not have 'em in your backyard or somethin'?"  
He asked after a few moments of silence. The more he saw, the more he wondered; his curiosity coming into play now. They were just plants, so why keep them so far out of the way and in the middle of nowhere?

Walking off in the direction of the stream, watering can in hand, Alastor looked back at Anthony.  
"Well, the ground is softer here to grow things. Near my home, it's much harder since there's no water nearby and the cats in the area would most likely trample them."  
He explained.  
"It's not just plants I grow either."

"What's that supposed t' mean?"  
His curiosity was going wild with that question now, crossing his arms over his chest as he continued to watch the other.

"Herbs and things too."  
He trailed off, walking away from earshot so if Anthony did say anything, he wouldn't be able to hear it.  
Once by the stream, Alastor knelt down and dipped the watering can in, it quickly filling up before Alastor began to walk back towards Anthony.

"Herbs are plants too, ain't they?"  
He asked mainly himself, now wondering if his information on that was wrong all along. Rubbing his arm, he shook his head and decided not to worry about it too much. He then removed the shirt from over his shoulder and found a spot to hang it in the sun in hopes it would dry faster along with his notebook, setting it on a rock nearby.

"Another question."  
He began again once he knew Alastor would be able to hear him.  
"Why didja ask me if I wanted t' come along? Was there somethin' y' wanted t' show me?"

Placing the watering can down once he was back within earshot of Anthony, Alastor shrugged again.  
"No particular reason. I should really ask _you_ why you were following me. I figured you were bored, so I gave you something to do with your Sunday."

That backfired yet again, but since they were supposed to be working together, the Italian supposed there wasn't much of a reason to lie about this.  
"I like t' know who I'm workin' with."  
He stated simply.

"Well, if you'd like to know anything about me, you need only ask."  
He nodded, walking past Anthony with the watering can and into the shed.  
In said shed was where he kept the more precious and sensitive flowers, plants, herbs, and other things. Some couldn't be left outside, therefore Alastor occasionally came here to water them from where their homes were in the shed.

Anthony shook his head, keeping his eyes on the man.  
"See, I _would_ , but the problem with that is that y' could easily lie about somethin' or refuse t' answer. By followin' your steps, I can see more of ya than what y' tell me."  
He explained.  
"Actions over words, mio amico."

"Well, I'm afraid you won't be finding anything exciting."  
He chuckled, finishing up watering the few things he had in the shed.  
"At least if you _asked me_ things, whether I gave you a correct answer or not, you'd have something to write down in that little notebook of yours, hm?"

Anthony's eyes narrowed slightly.  
"I know y' got secrets, Levesque. Don't play me like you're some kinda innocent. I know better than that."  
He stated with a huff.  
"We all got things we don't want anyone knowin' about."  
He added in a lowered voice, eyes shifting down to the notebook.

Stepping out of the shed again, Alastor took a few steps past Anthony, bringing the watering can to rain on the stems of a few plants he had growing outside as well after patting the soil under them to check for moisture.  
"Oh, believe me, I know we _all_ have secrets. Some more dangerous if they were to ever get out."  
Alastor continued, shooting Anthony a slight narrowed eyed look before turning around again, a small smirk on his face.

Anthony caught the look he was given, his own eyes narrowing.  
"Quali sono quegli occhi? What's that look for?"  
He asked, hiding the worry that was building up. He still believed Alastor was some kind of psychic so there was no telling what he was picking up on.

Placing the watering can down, Alastor turned around with something of an innocent smile.  
"What look? I'm just stating that everyone has secrets."  
With that, he turned back towards the shed, rummaging around a little inside.

"Y' looked at me in a way that said y' knew somethin' about me specifically. What's goin' on in that noodle of yours?"  
He pried, almost desperate to know what he was hiding.  
"Didja see my future or somethin'?"

"My brain is constantly thinking of something, doesn't have to be about you _specifically_... or maybe I am thinking about you."  
He replied, exiting the shed with a book and pen in hand. 

Anthony felt his chest tighten at that last part, looking at the items in Alastor's hands. How was he supposed to reply to that without it sounding weird? Just him saying that was weird, invoking the reaction it did within the Italian.

"Then again, I could be completely lying about this entire situation. Couldn't I."  
Alastor's tone was once again smug as he took a seat on the grass, propped up against the stump of a small tree that was beside the shed.

"Yeah, y' could."  
Anthony replied, thankful that Alastor continued on and not leaving him stranded in an awkward place.

Opening up the book to a page, Alastor put the pen in his left hand onto the paper and began to write.  
"But... I could also be telling the truth. It's down to you what you decide to believe or not."  
He shrugged, glancing up from the book for just a second to look Anthony in the eyes.

The blonde took a breath and grabbed his own notebook before walking over to sit just to the side of Alastor. With him talking in these psychological riddles, Anthony had no idea what to believe. Not that it really mattered. This was all temporary.  
"Alright, well, can I ask about your interests? Besides gardening and bein' a butcher, I mean. That can't be all you're into."

Alastor watched as Anthony took a seat beside him, raising a brow at his question.  
"Well, I hunt when I can, which isn't too often these days."  
He began, bringing his chin to rest in his palm, book resting on the ground now.  
"Oh yes... and I do tend to dabble in the fascinating practices of Louisiana Voodoo. I don't suppose you know it."

Anthony shook his head with two short hums.  
"Not a clue. Never even heard of it."  
He replied as he examined his own book, carefully separating a few more pages. The ink on the inside was all smeared, not that he was worried about Alastor reading what he wrote. It was always written in Italian. He was more or less worried about the doodles he had inside. Of course, he was careful to leave those alone for now.

Alastor chuckled slightly at that. Of course, he'd never even heard of it.  
"It's a set of spiritual beliefs originating from here, Louisiana. I won't bother with details, it's all rather boring."  
He smiled, gaze wandering over to Anthony's notebook, seeing that much of the words were smudged.  
"Shame."  
He spoke up, referring to the words.  
"What was in there if I may?"

Anthony looked up at Alastor, about to peel apart two pages with some of his less productive work.  
His father had it drilled in his mind that men didn't draw or do any sort of art. He had to keep the fact that he liked sketching and drawing hidden away from everyone; with the exception of his sister.  
"Oh, um, just notes. Nothin' really important."  
He quickly spoke, shaking his head.

Alastor raised a brow at that, gaze lingering on the two pages that Anthony looked about to open, before deciding against it, it seemed.  
"Ah, well then. I hope they weren't important notes."  
He nodded, going back to what he was writing in his book in silence, simply enjoying the sounds of nature around him.

Anthony looked towards Alastor's book.  
"What about you? What 'cha got in there?"  
He asked, nodding at it. He also took note that Alastor was left-handed. Not something he saw very often at all.

Pausing his writing, Alastor placed the pen in the center of the two pages, showing it to Anthony.  
"Documenting the plants I have here. I tried to illustrate a few of their pictures, however, I don't particularly have any sort of artistic ability when it comes to drawing."

Anthony paused, looking down at the pages shown to him.  
"If y' show me which plants, I could maybe give it a shot."  
He said with a bit of a shrug.  
Alastor wasn't part of his family, not even part of the same world as him it seemed, so maybe he wouldn't have to hide this one thing from him. It wasn't like they'd ever see each other again after all was said and done, so what did it matter if he found out about a few things?

Placing the book down for a moment, Alastor quickly stood and began to walk towards his shed again. A few moments later, he came out with a tray, a few bunches of purple budding flowers planted inside.  
"These ones will be okay for you to touch and move the leaves around if you need to."  
He nodded, placing the tray on the ground in front of Anthony before sitting back down again on the grass.

Anthony shifted slightly, leaning closer to the plants.  
"Alright, where d' ya want the illustration and d' ya happen t' have a pencil with ya?"  
He asked as he started shifting the tray a bit to see if he could get a good angle that properly showcased all of the features of the plant such as the leaves and a few of the budding flowers, making sure to get some of the already opened buds.

Patting himself down, Alastor realized that his jacket was left in the boat- and in his jacket pocket was a pencil.  
"One moment. I may have one in the shed."  
He explained, standing once again and heading towards the shed to look around. Alas, in an old empty can that sat on the makeshift window of the shed was a pencil.

"Here we go."  
Alastor smiled as he returned to Anthony, tapping the page where he wanted the illustration to go.

Anthony took the pencil with a small smile and a nod, picking up the book.  
"Thanks."  
He then started carefully adjusting the leaves of the better-looking plant before looking at the page, carefully mapping out the area he was to use before beginning the sketch.

"So, how's your mom holdin' up?"  
He decided to make some conversation. He was always good at multitasking, almost needed to if he was going to focus on something casual like this.

Alastor leaned back against the tree stump a little more, looking over at Anthony's drawing as he began to sketch.  
"She's fine, thank you. I do believe taking a few days off has really helped her, even if she was rather against it at first. She went to church this morning, so I know she'll be safe while I'm here."  
He explained with a small smile.

Anthony gave a nod.  
"Good. Sorry I couldn't get my dad t' listen... he never does."  
He sighed quietly as he looked at the plant, then to Alastor for a second, and back to his sketch.  
"Is there anythin' I can do t' help the situation otherwise? I feel real bad 'bout it all, y' know?"

Alastor waved his hand dismissively at the apology, shaking his head.  
"It's quite alright, Anthony. Although, if you are set on doing _something_ , then I do suppose my mother was speaking about you coming for dinner one night. Perhaps on a day you're not busy."

Anthony gave a small chuckle, looking at the man again. The way his name sounded when this man said it made him almost tremble.  
"Does it really look like I got a strict schedule t' keep up with? I'd love t' join sometime."  
His smile grew a little, the dents in his cheeks becoming clearer before looking back down at the plant and to the paper again.

"I'm sure my mother will much appreciate your presence at dinner one evening then."  
Alastor nodded, eyes lingering on Anthony's momentarily visible dimples for a second before looking back down again at his drawing.

"So what's this plant called?"

"That would be a blue moon phlox. It will be at full bloom in the next few weeks or so, and they're quite beautiful when they do."

Anthony gave a bit of a nod.  
"Want me t' come back when it's bloomed and draw it then too?"  
He asked, looking over the drawing a bit before adding a few more details.

"Hah, why, if you'd like to then sure, why not."  
He chuckled, grin growing a little more at that. He supposed he was kind of relieved that Anthony seemed somewhat interested in his little garden patch. It was nice to have someone to appreciate it, Alastor not knowing anyone around his age who would do so- Madeline aside, however, Alastor would never bring her here... for many reasons.

It was nice for Anthony as well. If he so much as doodled in front of his father, he wouldn't hear the end of it. To be able to more or less be himself around someone that wasn't his sister was a big breath of fresh air.

Once he finished touching up the details a while later, Anthony picked up the book and turned it so Alastor could see.  
"How's that? If y' like it, I'll take a pen to it."

Alastor looked closer at the page, unable to wipe the smile off his face at Anthony's clear artistic ability.  
"Why, that looks marvelous my friend! Yes indeedy!"  
He laughed, looking between the sketch and the plant that sat in the tray.  
"You've captured an impressive true likeness, I will say."

Anthony couldn't help but smile brightly at the compliment. He never thought anyone would appreciate something like this from him.  
"Really? I'm glad y' like it!"  
He beamed, eyes lighting up as he brought the book back into his lap.  
He didn't know what it was but this was so much better than a simple little 'good job'.

Picking up the pen now, Anthony started going over his lines with ink to make sure it would last, the smile still ever-present.

As Anthony went over the drawing in pen, Alastor watched quietly for a few moments.  
"So, do you usually draw?"  
He eventually asked after a while, leaning back a little, arms crossing behind his head as he leaned back against the tree stump again, eyes closing briefly.

"Honestly?"  
Anthony began, keeping his eyes on the page.  
"Whenever I can. Not allowed to back home. Even if I do, I gotta hide it."

Alastor opened an eye at that, raising a brow.  
"Oh? Well, that's a shame. Your father doesn't allow that either? That's quite absurd if you ask me."

"Says men don't draw. Not 'manly' t' be artistic."  
He added with a bit of a sigh.

Shaking his head, Alastor closed his eyes again.  
"That's nonsense. Some of history's greatest artists are men."

"It's fine though. It ain't the only thing I'm stuck hidin' from him."

At that last part of Anthony's words, Alastor opened his eyes once again. 

"Oh? And what else would that be... hm?"

"Y' want the whole list?"  
The Italian asked, glancing up at the other with a look that said 'please don't ask'.

Shaking his head with a chuckle, Alastor closed his eyes again.  
"There's no entertainment in finding out everything about a person of interest all at once, so no. Not particularly."  
He explained.

Anthony chuckled a bit as well, going back to the drawing.  
"Guess that's true. We'd be here a whole week otherwise."  
He took a breath, trying to figure out where to begin and how much to really say.  
"When I'm supposed t' be helpin' transport goods I'll usually sneak off t' do other things. Those other things _also_ bein' things he doesn't know."  
He began. That seemed like a decent spot to start.

With what little and limited knowledge Alastor had of groups like the Mafia, he could only presume that the transportation of 'goods' were some sort of contraband; likely alcohol considering the conversations they've had- although, he was surprised that Anthony was telling him this. Then again, it wasn't like Alastor could necessarily do anything with this information, except for relaying it across to Rosie.  
Regardless, he listened to what Anthony had to say.

"He doesn't know that I hate the business as a whole. Doesn't know that if I had a reasonably executable plan, I'd leave. Doesn't know I- well, actually I'm pretty sure he _does_ know I hate him-"  
He sidetracked, looking up into the trees for a second, leaning back on his hand.  
"Doesn't know I use some soft dope once in a while just t' feel somethin' without feelin' at the same time. Hell, _no one_ knows that. Not even my sister and she knows a lot."

"You'd be surprised, my friend, at just how many people _don't_ feel anything."  
It was certainly something else to get this side of Anthony out. Alastor hadn't expected it, that was for sure, it somehow surprised him.  
"Everyone has secrets. Whether it's that you hate somebody, you like somebody, or you use soft drugs every now and then. I suppose... while life is ever entertaining, this world is filled with fools, Anthony. It's quite unkind."

Anthony looked at him for a few moments, a small hint of a smile coming back to his face. It was nice to have someone to talk to and listen without having to worry about being judged or criticized for it.  
This was something he was dangerously getting used to. He couldn't help it.

Alastor had a feeling that Anthony would listen to his words. Even if it was hardly useful advice of any sort. Alastor could at least listen, something that he supposed he did quite well when the time came for it. He was an awfully observant man after all.  
"We're both still young. I don't think we even really know what we're doing, having such big secrets."  
And that went for both of them, of course.

Anthony slowly nodded. He wanted to say something but didn't know what, so instead, he snapped himself out of his trance and finished off the drawing.  
"It's scary. All of it."  
He said softly, referring to their topic of conversation.

After a few moments, he finished and blew on the ink to make sure it was fully dry before handing the book and writing utensils to Alastor.  
"Here. Lemme know if y' want anythin' else done."  
He smiled.  
It was still hard to believe that someone actually liked his art. He knew Molly did, but she was his sister. He felt like that didn't quite count.

Sitting up as the book was handed back, Alastor took it with a nod, looking over the drawing with a smile.  
"That's wonderful, Anthony. It will do just nicely, thank you."  
Leaving the page open for now just in case the ink wasn't completely dry, Alastor set it down on the grass and leaned back against the tree once more with a yawn.

"Glad y' like it."  
Anthony smiled and brought his arms up over and behind his head, straightening his back out to stretch before grabbing his own notebook again. The pages seemed to have dried a significant amount which was nice. He continued to separate the pages, glad to see that the book wasn't completely lost.  
"Tired?"

Alastor huffed a small laugh at that, bringing one arm to rest behind his head as he closed his eyes again. He was undoubtedly tired, having been up most of the night previous simply reading- something that he did probably more often than what was good for him.  
"Yes, quite."  
He replied.

Anthony gave a nod, separating a page with a sketch on it. It wasn't completely ruined. If anything, it made it look more interesting.  
"Go ahead. I'll wake y' up a little later."  
He said as he looked to the sky, deciding on when to wake the other based on sun placement. It was still pretty early, the sun not having peaked yet at noon.

Alastor supposed he could rest for a few minutes or so- there was no harm in it, and even if Anthony hadn't of come along, he would have slept regardless. Besides, he supposed he could trust him.  
"Alright."  
He muttered, soaking in the sun that shone down on one side of his face, the other covered by the shade of the tree he lay under.

Anthony could tell Alastor was tired, especially now as he spoke. His words were fatigued.  
With a bit of a sigh, he looked at the man in front of him, a smile still on his face as his eyes narrowed and head tilted to the right slightly, and then to the left.

Leaning forward, he grabbed the pencil again and adjusted his position to get another angle, making sure to be as quiet as possible so his model could rest.  
Once he found an angle he was happy with, Anthony began to sketch. The light Alastor was in along with his position against the stump really inspired him. It was new to him to be so close to his human subject and have them look so naturally perfect.

As he sketched, he ended up spreading the picture beyond just Alastor, capturing the stump he was against along with the trees and shrubbery around him.

The sketch took a good hour or so, and once he was happy with what he had, he took his pen and started to go over the lines he wanted to keep the same. This was pure bliss and he didn't want it to end.

Alastor must have slept awhile, a near two and half hours if he had to guess- clearly he was quite exhausted, and the conditions of this sleeping spot were almost too perfect for him to want to wake up. However, he eventually began to stir, eyes squinting open at the light of the warm sun, nose scrunching slightly.  
He brought a hand to his head, pushing his hair back as he cleared his throat, slowly pushing himself up from the ground, sitting upright against the tree stump now... and then he noticed Anthony, exactly as he had been before, notebook in hand with a pen to paper. Alastor smiled.

Anthony heard Alastor clear his throat but didn't think anything of it. He'd made a few different noises while he was asleep, so this wasn't anything he was too worried about. He didn't even notice the movement. The drawing was almost finished and he was extremely proud of how it came out. He planned to keep it well hidden so he would be able to keep it even after going home.

Alastor lay there watching Anthony for a few more moments with a small smile, his eyes occasionally flickering closed. From seeing the drawing that Anthony had done earlier of the plant, Alastor knew he was quite talented so he was eager to see what Anthony had drawn while he was asleep.  
"What're you drawing there?"  
Alastor eventually spoke up, watching as Anthony brought the pen up to tap his chin.

Luckily Anthony was in the midst of taking a short break from his lines, pen away from the paper, otherwise, the jolt that came into play would have had him drag the pen across the paper, thus ruining the picture.  
His head snapped up, shoulders raised and eyes wide as he looked at the man he'd just been sketching.  
"Uh, i-it's nothin'!"  
He said quickly, almost slamming the book shut but stopped, not wanting to ruin it with the ink probably not quite dry yet, so he tipped it more towards himself to keep it hidden.

Alastor did chuckle slightly at that, sitting up a little more.  
"Why? I know you were drawing, Anthony. You haven't moved in what I'm presuming is hours, and you haven't been asleep either."  
He explained, glancing up at the sun's position in the sky to briefly to clarify that it had been around two hours.  
"Show me. I won't _judge_ you."

This man was once again able to corner him. Anthony hated the feeling when it was his father or his brother cornering him, but he almost didn't mind when it was Alastor. Especially since he confessed a fair amount to him earlier and wasn't ridiculed for any of it.

He looked down at the drawing and then back up at Alastor, taking a breath.  
"I'm almost done with it. Wait a few minutes."  
He sighed, running a hand through his hair before going back to finish it off. All he needed to do was add a few things and thicken a few lines.

Alastor nodded at that with a smile, leaning his head back against the stump with a yawn.  
"I understand you say your father dislikes your drawings, but do you do it often? Draw, I mean."  
He slowly asked, pushing up the rolled sleeves of his shirt a little more from where they'd fallen down slightly.

"As often as I can. If I got free time and no one's around, I'll get into it."  
He replied, making a few more small touches before raising the book again to compare. A few things in the background were out of place, but that wasn't important.  
With a small smile, Anthony leaned forward and passed the book over to Alastor.

Nodding at Anthony's answer, Alastor took the book and carefully studied the beautiful pen illustration. It was of him sleeping, surrounded by all the greenery around. He had to say, it was quite a piece of art.  
"I like it."  
He nodded, chuckling a little at his face.  
"Although, you may have flattered my face more than it is- I'm certainly not complaining about that, haha."

"What? No, I don't think I did. I drew what I saw."  
Anthony spoke but shrunk immediately after, realizing what he just said. That could have been taken the way he meant it, which might not turn out well for him.  
Then again, he couldn't be sure. Alastor was so calm and level headed with his previous confessions that, for a split second, he considered the possibility that what he felt about the gender he was most attracted to was okay.

Leaning in closer to the page to get a better look, turning the book around a few times, Alastor hummed in satisfaction before handing it back over to Anthony.  
"Well then, that's awfully kind of you. I think the shrubbery you've drawn looks quite excellent."

Anthony took the book back, relieved that Alastor didn't read into the compliment too much; pushing those thoughts and feels down once again.  
"I'm glad y' like it."  
He smiled, looking down at the paper. He couldn't have been happier with the outcome.

"Is there anythin' else y' gotta do out here?"  
He asked, stretching his arms up over his head and straightened his back out. Being hunched over the book for as long as he was, took a bit of a tool on him.

Alastor looked around a bit at the question, thinking about it for a moment.  
"Yes, there are one or two things I have to bring back with me."  
He nodded, gesturing towards the shed.  
"Have you dried off yet? I'm sure the sun would have soaked all the water up by now."

Anthony nodded, leaning back on his hands.  
"Yeah, I think so. My shoes might not be, but that's alright."  
He smiled a bit with a shrug, having taken his shoes and socks off over the time Alastor was resting so they would hopefully dry a bit, then set his book aside and laid back against the ground, extending his legs and stretched his arms out to his sides with a content sigh. The grass against the skin on his back and feet was a pleasant feeling.

Moving to stand, Alastor too stretched out after having been laying down for so long.  
"I'll go and grab what I need to."  
He nodded, slowly walking off in the direction of the shed.  
There were a few special herbs and plants that he had to be careful in gathering, but it was alright. He'd harvested them enough times to know to be careful.

Anthony closed his eyes, absorbing the rays of the sun that trickled through the leaves of the trees above with a smile while he waited for Alastor to finish up. It was around two in the afternoon now judging by the placement of the sun.  
Because it was Sunday, Batallier wouldn't likely be out and about until around seven or eight, so Anthony still had plenty of time to get cleaned up and head out, so for now, he simply took this time to relax and let all of that go.

A few minutes later and Alastor came out with a small glass jar of what looked like herbs and a few dried parts of plants.  
"Alright! That's everything I needed."  
He called over to Anthony, sitting back down beside him again.  
"It's around two, wouldn't you say? Batallier isn't out until later if I'm correct."

Anthony opened his eyes, about to sit up until Alastor sat next to him so he stayed where he was but kept his eyes on him.  
"Yeah. Are y' gunna be joinin' me t'night?"  
He asked, pulling his gaze away and up to the trees above again.

Alastor thought about that a moment. He didn't have anything going on this evening and he was sure his mother wouldn't mind his absence on a Sunday.  
"Yes, I think I will. I understand the more information we get on Batallier, the quicker we can act."  
Alastor concluded.

Anthony gave a nod and sat up. If he was honest, every night that Alastor didn't join him, it was a rather slow and lonely night. He liked talking about nothing in particular with him.

"Since I shared some secrets with you, why don't you share some with me?"  
He then asked after a few moments of silence, listening to the birds and whatever other animals were around.

"Haha, that's tough."  
Alastor laughed, looking across at Anthony and noticing that he was actually waiting for Alastor to say something.  
"Um, well, I have many. But not many that I think I can say? Or at least ones that you'll believe."

"Ain't like I'd be able t' tell anyone either way. Y' got dirt on me, so now I need dirt on you."  
He shifted slightly but kept his eyes on the other.

Alastor, of course, understood what Anthony meant, but it was still funny to him.  
"Well, you wanted to know the other day why I was not myself when you came into the store. It's quite odd, I understand, but since I had been in the strict mindset to kill the night before and unfortunately _didn't_ , I get quite antsy, shall we say, when I do not kill. At least when I had been planning to. I don't like to lose, you see."  
He calmly explained.

Anthony just nodded slowly with a raised brow.  
"So this really _ain't_ your first time, huh."

Alastor let out a quick burst of a laugh, shaking his head.  
"I already told you, my friend. I'm about as innocent as you are when it comes to murder, I'm sure."  
He chuckled with a sigh.

"I thought y' only killed animals, not actual people. What's your count?"  
Anthony asked out of curiosity, unfazed by this information.

Alastor laughed again more so in disbelief than anything over the fact that Anthony had presumed such things.  
"What's my count?"  
He repeated, pausing for a second.  
"I don't know."

"Y' seriously don't keep track? You're kidding, right?"  
There was no way Anthony was going to believe that. Not in a million years.

"Well, I do have a small talley I keep back at home, however, I haven't counted. Why, do you not believe that I can kill a man as and when I please?"  
He asked, sensing the clear disbelief on Anthony's part.

"I just didn't really think I'd meet someone that kills for fun, y' know? If it's your job, I understand, do what 'cha gotta do."  
He shrugged, running his fingers through his hair casually. It had dried entirely by now.

Alastor couldn't help but smile rather smugly, picking at the grass beneath him a bit.  
"Well, it _is_ my job. As a butcher, of course. But, I also do it for fun. I kill as I please, mostly completely at random too which is quite entertaining for when the newspapers cover it the next day- or at least _if_ they discover what has happened to the person, haha!"

"You're just full of surprises, ain't 'cha."  
Anthony replied with a bit of a shake of his head, a smile still on his face.  
"When didja start this little business of yours?"

Alastor's grin only grew, the man chuckling again.  
"I've always been fascinated with... anatomy I suppose you could say. But this 'business' of mine began a few years back. I was almost fifteen."

"For fun? At fifteen?"  
Anthony repeated.

Alastor nodded, smile ever-present.  
"Yes, you heard me correctly. I do believe I was almost fifteen at the time."  
He clarified, looking up at the sun before across at Anthony again.

Anthony's brows raised as he looked down at this book. The ink was probably dry now so he picked it up and ran his fingers over it to make sure before closing the pages.  
"I guess I ain't in a much better boat, except it wasn't exactly a choice I could make."

"Well, it is a family thing for you. Of course you'd have no choice in the matter."  
He nodded, continuing to pick at the grass, flicking it away.

The Italian shrugged.  
"Yeah, guess you're right."  
He paused, looking at Alastor.  
"Speakin' of which. What about your dad? What happened to 'im?"

Alastor's smile didn't falter at that, making brief eye contact with Anthony before looking away.  
"He's dead. Hasn't been around for a long time."

Anthony's eyes narrowed. That everlasting smile clearly said there was more to the story that Alastor was hiding.  
"Dead huh? How? When?"

"Yes dead. It was a suicide actually. And I do believe it was towards the end of 1907."  
Alastor explained simply, his smile pulling up the corners of his lips further and further.  
"Being just five years old, there isn't very much that I remember about him of course."

It definitely gave Anthony chills.  
"Alright, well, we should probably get back, aye?"  
He stated, looking up at the sky again. He needed to clean himself up before going out that night.

Clapping his hands together, Alastor quickly stood, brushing himself down.  
"Yes, I agree. Shall we meet at the usual spot at the usual time this evening?"  
He asked, picking up the jar filled with the dried plants and herbs and holding onto it carefully.

Anthony put his socks and shoes on again before he stood as well and brushed himself off, grabbing the shirt that still hung on a nearby branch. He put it on properly as they headed back to the boat.  
"Yeah, sounds like a good plan t' me. Oh yeah, and I meant t' ask. What're y' doin' Thursday?"

Gathering everything that he needed to bring back with him, Alastor began to lead Anthony back towards the boat.  
"Thursday? Well, I suppose I shall be working in the morning. And not much else I'm afraid. Why?"

"Just wonderin'."  
He smiled a bit as he did up the buttons of his shirt. Truth be told, Anthony was planning something.

Alastor knew that his birthday was coming up in the coming week and he was well aware that Anthony knew that as well. He simply hoped that the other wasn't going to do anything for it- it was completely unnecessary after all.  
"Hm, okay."  
Alastor hummed, suspiciously looking over at Anthony as they drew closer towards to the boat on the river.

Once at the boat, Anthony took a breath. He had learned his lesson the first time and was ready to accept help getting on and off of this wretched thing. It was getting later, the two having spent quite a bit of their day here. Anthony wasn't complaining at all though. It was a beautiful day and he was glad to get out and do something.

"A piece of advice, Anthony. When getting onto and off of the boat, I would advise against stepping right on the edge. It tips the boat, as I'm sure you've gathered."  
Alastor spoke as he watched the other stood by the river bank now.  
"Unless you'd like me to get on first and then help you in of course?"

"I didn't step on the edge. My foot got caught..."  
Anthony muttered as he simply looked between the boat and Alastor for a moment or two, concluding that he didn't want to risk anything going wrong again.  
"Help would be good if y' wouldn't mind."  
He said a little sheepishly, rubbing his neck a bit.

Nodding, Alastor stepped past the smaller man and into the boat, placing his belongings down quickly before looking over at the other, extending his hand out for him much like the last time.  
"I promise I will not let you fall into the water this time."  
He chuckled.

Anthony rolled his eyes while trying to keep himself from feeling anything unnatural as he hesitantly took Alastor's hand and carefully stepped onto the boat. Alastor's hand was still as strong as it ever was and did a fantastic job of helping him stay steady as he got situated across from the taller man.

"Thanks."  
He said with a bit of a sigh, looking up at the sky again for a moment before back at the other.

Once Anthony was safely in the boat and the both of them were sat down, all of Alastor's belongings safely on the deck of the small boat, they set off after the rope was untied, Alastor grabbing both of the ores.  
It was still quite warm, so there was no need for his jacket still.

As he did the last time, Alastor used the riverbank to help point them in the right direction and once they were in the center of the river, he began to slowly row.  
It was a lot easier to row this time, the humidity in the air not being as much since it wasn't near midday more, and then fact that Alastor had slept for a while as well.

Anthony was a little more relaxed this time around. Perhaps due to the fact that he got a few things off of his chest that had been weighing him down for a long while.  
He looked over the edge of the boat at the water for a few moments at some of the little fish that were swimming around. With a smile he dipped his hand in and sighed at the coolness of it, leaving it there as he then closed his eyes, simply enjoying the sounds.

Alastor quietly listened to the wildlife all around them, the sounds of the trees swishing, the occasional sound of a fish jumping out of the water, but then from the corner of his eye, he saw Anthony leaning over the side of the boat slightly, hand in the water.  
"Anthony, I wouldn't do that."  
He warned, nodding towards the other's hand.

Anthony glanced over at Alastor with a raised brow.  
"Hm? Why not? I ain't scared of a few little fish nibblin' at me."  
He said with a roll of his eyes.

It was just at that moment, from relatively close to where the boat was headed that Alastor spotted something quite long moving through the water. The time may have been slightly too early, but that was no exception.  
"Anthony, get out of the water. There's an alligator swimming right for you. It thinks your feeding it."  
Alastor warned calmly, continuing to row.

Anthony rolled his eyes with a huff.  
"Y' think I can't take on some tiny animal?"  
He tutted but moved his hand out of the cool water, wiping it on his pants with a sigh.

A few moments later, there was a deep husky bellow coming from beside the boat. Anthony jolted at the sound and quickly looked over the side it was coming from.  
There, in the water just floating along beside the boat, was a massive alligator seemingly staring at him.

"Diavolo, no. Non oggi!"  
Anthony quickly leaned away and moved to sit on the bottom of the boat away from the animal.  
"Puoi farcela. You can deal with that."  
He stated to the man in front of him.

Alastor didn't jolt at all, simply craning his neck to look over the side of the boat, an amused smile gracing his face as Anthony leaped away and began to cower in Italian.  
"Okay, I'll deal with it."  
He smiled, simply rowing past. Within a few seconds, the alligator was gone.  
"There. All dealt with."  
Alastor chuckled smugly.

Anthony didn't even try getting up yet, admitting to himself that he really did need to listen to Alastor more. He knew the area and much better than he ever would.  
"Is that normal? I thought they were the size of house cats- not _that_."

Alastor laughed a little more at that, shaking his head.  
"A house cat?! Well, I suppose the infant ones might be, but the adult ones are by no means tiny. They've got one of the strongest bites in the whole animal kingdom you know."

"Bene, ora lo faccio..."  
Anthony muttered, keeping his eyes on Alastor. He couldn't help but give him those eyes again. This man was just so... unique. Calm and collected.

Alastor raised a brow at the look Anthony just gave him, returning with a questioning look of his own.  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
He huffed with a smile, referring to the way Anthony had just looked at him, _not_ what he'd just spoken in Italian.

Anthony was pulled back to reality, pushing those ideas out of his head yet again.  
"What?"  
He looked away.  
"Oh, I said 'well, now I do'."  
He clarified, thinking that's what he meant.

Interesting. Definitely interesting.  
"Hm, okay."  
Alastor shrugged, looking away in the direction that Anthony was.  
"So..."  
he trailed off, attempting to make some sort of conversation.  
"I don't suppose you get too many alligators up in New York, haha."

"Oh, absolutely not. No."  
Anthony shook his head, slowly moving back to sit on the seat across from the taller man.

Alastor nodded once Anthony had taken a proper seat back upon the wooden plank in the boat, offering him a soft smile.  
They were almost back at the place where he usually docked his boat, just a few minutes now.

Anthony gave a bit of a smile in return before looking back out towards the trees and water for the rest of the duration, only occasionally looking at him.

Soon enough, Alastor placed the ores down and directed the boat right up to the river bank where he tied it up and began to gather his belongings from the floor.  
"Alright Anthony, we're here."  
He smiled, letting the other get off the boat first.

Anthony perked up a bit and looked around at the familiar setting, remembering it from before their venture. He very carefully got out of the boat, not falling into the water this time, and turned back towards Alastor.  
"Thanks for takin' me along. I had... fun."  
That was a word he didn't think he would use during his time on this assignment.

Alastor was right behind Anthony, jumping off onto dry land with a smile.  
"Yes, I had a nice time as well."  
He nodded book under his arm and the glass jar of plants in his other hand.  
"I suppose I shall be seeing you this evening then."  
Alastor continued, the two of them walking back through the trees towards the main pathway.

Anthony gave a nod, walking back with Alastor until they parted ways.


	12. Chapter 12

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Thursday, January 13th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

The majority of that week was as normal as any other. Since it was carnival season now, there were a few more lively performances and small parades that were happening around the place, but nothing worth noting.

During the next few days, Anthony looked into a few different things for himself and Alastor to do for his birthday. He wanted to do something for his friend whether he wanted to or not.  
He found a theater within the city so thought that might be an interesting option seeing as he had never seen a picture show himself; not even sure if Alastor had either.   
Another option was to drink somewhere. Anthony still had a bottle of whiskey he brought from his father's personal store. He was saving it for when the assignment was completed, but this seemed like a good excuse to drink it a little early.   
One thing he knew for sure was that he would be treating Alastor to dinner at the very least.

Aside from his mother wishing him a happy birthday that morning, nothing was abnormal. Alastor had gone into work early as per usual, however, he was let off early, as he had planned.  
It was just the afternoon when he finished, stepping out the small butcher's store with a smile, turning over his shoulder to thank his boss for giving him the afternoon off.

When the time came for Alastor's shift to end, Anthony was already sitting outside of the shop having a cigarette with his notebook, sketching some little things that he saw during his wait.

"Good afternoon, Anthony."   
Alastor smiled once he noticed the blonde.   
"You alright?"

Anthony looked up at the man he was there to see with a smile as he then stood.  
"Afternoon! C'mon, old man. We got important plans."  
His smile seemed to grow a bit as he nodded out toward the street. He knew Alastor didn't have anything planned for the rest of the day, Alastor having told him this himself.

Fixing the hat that was upon his head, Alastor raised a brow, beginning to follow Anthony.   
"And where might these important plans of yours be taking us? Say, they don't happen to have anything to do with the fact that I am nineteen today, do they?"   
He asked, knowing that they most likely did, but asking regardless.

Anthony chuckled lightly.  
"They can if y' want 'em to. If not, these are just 'cause we can."  
He took the last drag of his cigarette before flicking it away.  
"First plan of action, it's still kinda early for dinner, so I dunno if y' wanna wait a bit for that, that's fine. We can go do somethin' else."

Watching Anthony's cigarette as it was flicked to the ground, Alastor brought his attention to the street ahead, it being quite busy at this time.   
"Hm, yes, it is quite early for dinner."   
He agreed.   
"Perhaps your plan of action for dinner can wait a few hours."

The shorter man gave a nod, slowing down so they could walk side by side.  
"Alright, sounds fair. Anythin' y' wanna do in the meantime?"  
He figured he would ask seeing as the picture shows didn't usually run until later on and most of his other ideas wouldn't be ideal to partake in during daylight hours or before they joined the public.

Alastor paused in thought for a moment, lightly humming.   
"Well, I suppose since we still have time before dinner, if it's alright with your plans, then I think I'd like to change before our evening begins. I know for sure this time that my mother will not be home."

Anthony glanced up at Alastor, noticing that he was still in his uniform.  
"Oh, yeah, that works just fine."  
He honestly wouldn't mind if she was there. She was a really nice woman from what he gathered and liked her a lot.

Smelling of a butcher for the rest of the evening wasn't exactly ideal, so it was in Alastor's best interest to get changed as soon as he could- and now seemed the perfect time to do so.  
"Perfect. To my house then."

With a quick nod, they made their way to the streetcar stop, Anthony whistling a tune as they walked. He was actually pretty excited to have this hopefully enjoyable evening.   
"I was thinkin' we go see one of those picture shows after dinner too. I dunno if you've ever been or if y' even like 'em, but that's on the table."

Alastor raised a brow at that, nodding lightly.   
"Yes, picture shows are awfully exciting, are they not? I've been a few times, however not for a while."   
He explained. Many a time had Madeline invited him out to see a picture show, but Alastor used to go occasionally with his mother too and some other old friends.

Anthony was more or less used to this little routine now, getting on and staying close to his friend.  
"I dunno. Never been."  
He stated with a bit of a shrug.

Alastor wasn't at all surprised, simply nodding. After everything Anthony had told him in regard to his life and family, it made sense.   
"Well then, I'm sure you'll find this evening positively entertaining then!"   
He laughed a bit.

Anthony smiled a bit with a nod. He was really glad at this point to have met Alastor or to be able to consider him a friend. He had a feeling that if he'd just kept to himself as he planned, this trip would have dragged on forever.

Luckily for them, a streetcar was just arriving as they did, the two of them not having to wait at all to get onto the rather cramped transport, Alastor taking a seat by the window in a row that happened to be thankfully free and Anthony sat down next to him with a bit of a sigh, the car moving again shortly after. He sat quietly, looking down at his hands, simply thinking about nothing in particular.   
Alastor spent the next half an hour simply watching out the window at the memorized view, occasionally glancing over to Anthony.

When they got to their stop, Alastor followed the blonde off of the car and back onto the path again.   
"So, what do you suppose I should wear tonight. Formal, or perhaps casual?"   
Alastor asked after a few moments, the two walking towards the older man's home.

Anthony looked up at the man with a smile before giving a shrug.  
"Whatever y' want. This is what I'm wearin'."  
He stated before remembering a small detail he was going to add to his usual casual attire.  
"Oh! This too, but I ain't puttin' it on yet. Also depends on what you end up in."  
He said as he pulled a tie out of his pocket.

Alastor looked down at the tie for a moment.   
"Alright then, formal casual it is."   
He chuckled. Usually, he wore a bow tie regardless of the day- work being the only exception with him wearing a regular necktie.

Soon enough they arrived at Alastor's home; after removing his shoes, pleased that Anthony had remembered to do so too opening the door and stepping in after removing his footwear. His mother's hat and jacket weren't hanging on the rack, nor were her shoes anywhere to be found, meaning that this time she was indeed out.   
"I won't take long. Make yourself at home."

"No problem. Take your time."

The Italian said, checking his watch as he moved into the lounge to sit in one of the armchairs for the time being. The house was as pristine as he remembered.

Alastor began to head upstairs to get prepared for their evening. As he had planned, he picked out an outfit that wasn't too casual but wasn't too formal either. A shirt, jacket, and his favorite patterned bow tie.

While Alastor was upstairs, Anthony sat in the chair for about ten seconds before getting up again to get a better look around. He noticed a piano in the corner of the lounge that he examined for a few short moments, running a hand over the top and the wooden key covering. He then found a few photos on the wall and something he took note of was that they only featured Alastor and his mother; not a trace or a hint of someone that could have been his father. The mystery that was Alastor's father still got Anthony's mind going.

Neatly folding his work attire and fixing everything in his room that he had moved upon his entry, Alastor swiftly exited the room, closing the door behind him before moving across the hallway to the bathroom. His hair was quite the mess from a day of work and he needed to look presentable if he was to be going out.

Anthony heard the sound of a door opening and closing followed by footsteps, but no sounds on the staircase, in fact, the sound of another door opening and closing sounded instead.   
Taking advantage of this time, Anthony moved towards a chesterfield hutch that held some fine china and started looking through the drawers out of curiosity.  
Nothing of interest was found in the first two, even after some digging. However, the drawer on the far left held something of seemingly great importance. A photograph of Alastor's mother, an infant that was assumed to be Alastor, and a man.

Tilting his head to the side, the blonde glanced to the stairs for a moment before picking up the picture to get a better look and see if there was anything else he might find. Turning the picture around to see the back, Anthony saw that he was correct. Alastor, his mother, and his father.  
This made him wonder all the more about the father.   
Why was such a photo kept in a drawer and not in a frame on the wall if this man was important to the family? Why hide this? Many ideas came to mind but clearly nothing solid.

When he heard movement from upstairs again, Anthony quickly put the photo back as it was, quietly shut the drawer, went back into the lounge and sat down.

Alastor made sure not to take too long in the bathroom, sorting out his physical appearance a bit before exiting the bathroom and heading down the stairs. When he reached the bottom, he turned into the lounge to find Anthony.   
"Well, it's still early, and the journey back into the main city is a mere half an hour. If you wish to wait here for a while, then we can do so."   
The man smiled, taking a seat on one of the other chairs in the room.

Anthony looked to Alastor as soon as he made his presence known again on the main floor, smiling a bit.  
"Sure, I don't mind that. When's your mom home?"  
He asked, looking at his watch. Nearly three o'clock.

Glancing over to the clock that was in the room, Alastor hummed.   
"Well, she'll be there for quite a while since I know her shift only started two hours ago."   
He began, crossing a leg over the other.   
"The hours the hospital gives her differ by week you see. It's quite inconvenient for her sometimes."

Anthony gave a nod as he subconsciously copied Alastor's movements, crossing one leg over the other as well.  
"Gotcha. So for dinner, didja have a joint in mind? Y' recommended Cajun or somethin' last time. Wanna do that?"

They had seafood the last time, but yes, Alastor had suggested their next meal be Cajun- especially since Anthony still had yet to try that type of food yet.   
"Yes, of course. You'll love it, believe me. I know a few places around that are quite marvelous; and they're within walking distance too."

"Whatever y' wanna do. This is _your_ day, Smiles. We can go wherever y' want."  
Anthony replied with a bit of a smile, folding his arms over his chest.   
He really wanted to bring up the subject of Alastor's father again but didn't want to raise suspicion.

Alastor chuckled at that, leaning back in his seat a little.   
"Alright, well, we'll go to that one then. You'll love it, trust me. It has a great band that plays there in the evenings."   
In the meantime, Alastor supposed they'd just be waiting around here.

"While we wait though, I wanna do somethin'."   
Anthony stated as he stood from his chair and walked into the dining room, grabbed a chair, came back and set it down by the window.  
"I wanna draw you again."  
He stated, turning back to Alastor with a smile with his hands on his hips.

Alastor raised a brow at that.   
"Oh? I suppose we have quite a bit of time to kill, so why not."   
He laughed a little as he stood.   
"And what pose would you like me to be in?"

"You're a natural when it comes t' that. You can decide."  
Anthony replied as he pulled his notebook out of his pocket.   
He wouldn't say it out loud in fear of Alastor reading it the wrong way, but he had caught him in some of the best positions and in the best lighting an artist could hope for; and he knew Alastor wasn't doing any of it on purpose.

Nodding, Alastor made his way over to a bookshelf and picked a book off of it before sitting himself down at the window. If he was going to be sitting a while, he may as well read while doing so.   
Propping the book open in his lap as he sat, he leaned with his right arm on the windowsill head being able to rest in his palm there, the other hand by his side to turn the pages.   
"This alright?"   
He asked, turning his head to Anthony.

Anthony backed up a little bit to see the full picture before him, tilting his head a bit before stepping closer again to adjust Alastor's tie a touch. Stepping back again, Anthony smiled and nodded.  
"Perfetto."  
He stated as he started to look for the right angle, crouching and then standing again after a moment, moving from side to side just to make sure he got it just right.

Once he found the perfect spot that captured exactly what he wanted, he pulled out his pencil, opened to a blank page, and began to sketch.  
"I only ever draw my sister, so this is a nice switch up."  
He stated.

It was a nice spot actually, Alastor right in the warm afternoon sun that shone in through the glass.   
"You should draw more often if it's what you enjoy. Regardless of your circumstances."   
Alastor trailed off, flicking over a page in the book, occasionally looking across to Anthony, but not wanting to move too much.   
"As I said before, you're awfully talented at it."

Anthony smiled a bit at that.  
"I have been since I got here. 'Course, when all you're doin' is sittin' around waitin', you're gunna have time on your hands and the freedom t' do some things y' wanna do as long as it's quiet."  
He explained, looking at Alastor for extended periods of time just because he had the excuse to do so.  
"Lucky for me, drawin' is quiet..."  
He added in a bit of a muttered tone.

Alastor nodded at that, agreeing. He didn't mind being stared at for long periods of time if he knew the reasoning behind it and of course, Anthony was simply drawing him.  
"I mean when you're back in New York. I've heard the scenery is something else there in regards to the infrastructure. Have you tried drawing the buildings there?" 

"Oh, yeah we got some nice places. I like drawin' people more though."  
Anthony replied with a bit of a shrug.  
"More life in a person than a pile of bricks, y' know? More details that are different for everyone. Shape of the face, eyes, some got freckles while others don't..."  
He trailed off, glancing at his model again for a few moments.  
"Livin' things are more interestin' t' me."  
He stated as he continued his sketch.

"Yes, I suppose I understand what you mean. People are awfully fascinating, are they not? All so entertaining and... _weak_."   
Maybe that last one wasn't exactly the sort of tone that Alastor was going for, but he couldn't help it sometimes. It was so painfully true after all.

Anthony huffed a small laugh at that as well. The man wasn't wrong. There were a lot of weak people that he came across while out on his jobs. No, he'd never had a conversation with any of them, but he definitely saw first hand how weak people could be.  
He then started to hum a tune he knew well from back home. Another tune from an Italian opera that he was exposed to quite a bit.

Alastor was silent mainly, fingers occasionally tapping along to a soundless tune upon the windowsill as he read, the background noise of Anthony's humming and the faint sound of his pencil upon paper being a nice sort of near ambiance.

As he sketched, Anthony continued to look between Alastor and the paper, trying to capture as many details as he could down to the last faint shadow. He made sure to be extra careful with this, wanting it to be just as good as the last drawing he did of the butcher.   
He couldn't help but give him _the look_ every time he looked at him. It was becoming more and more subconscious every day, losing control over it constantly.

Alastor this time didn't really notice any different looks that Anthony threw his way, more focused on the book, and keeping himself still so that Anthony's drawing would be consistent.

When the blonde finished, he looked it over once more and compared it to the real scene in front of him. Naturally, the lighting had changed as the sun moved, but everything else was to his liking. Now pulling out his pen, he began going over it with ink.  
"Y' can move now if y' want. Just gunna ink it."  
He said with a smile and went back to humming little tunes.

Glancing to the side as Anthony told him he could move, Alastor stretched out his arms with a groan, putting the book down on the side.   
"How's it looking?"   
He then asked, adjusting his position on the chair so that the sun wasn't so much in his eyes now that it had moved across the sky a bit.

Anthony smiled a bit, glancing up as Alastor stretched.  
"It's lookin' good, in my opinion."  
He paused as he continued with the outline.  
"How do y' say that in French? Good, I mean. It's 'buona' in Italian."

Alastor smiled too at that, chuckling softly.   
"Bien."   
He nodded, picking the book back up again and setting it down in his lap. 

"Bien..."   
Anthony repeated softly with a bit of a hum.

"You know, since you're here in New Orleans, you really should learn some French sentences. Everyone here mostly speaks English too, however that doesn't mean they don't appreciate when someone speaks French to them."

Anthony gave a small chuckle and looked up at the other.  
"Yeah? Well, why don't 'cha teach me? We got a fair bit of time together."  
He shrugged.  
"I wouldn't mind learnin'."

Sitting up a bit more, Alastor turned himself towards Anthony.   
"Alright then. Here's a saying for you. Laissez les bons temps rouler- meaning, let the good times roll. You'll be surprised at how many people say that around here for just about anything."

Anthony raised a brow.  
"Let the good times roll? Never heard that b'fore."  
He stated as he continued his project.  
"In Italian that would roughly translate to lascia scorrere i bei tempi."  
He chuckled.  
"Languages can be kinda weird, can't they?"

"Yes, languages. They're also quite fascinating things. Do you only know Italian and English?"   
Alastor then asked, curious as to whether Anthony knew anything more.

"For the most part, yeah. Learnin' French now too so that'll be under my belt soon."  
Anthony smiled, glancing at Alastor.   
"Lookin' forward t' cursin' at my brother and have 'im not know what I'm sayin' for once."  
He laughed.

Chuckling, Alastor nodded again, smiling widely.   
"I suppose you will, yes! Well, French isn't awfully difficult to learn in my opinion. Of course, I've known it for years, so I could be biased there, haha."

"I was gunna say the same for Italian, but probably because I grew up with it."  
Anthony shrugged, pausing with the inking for a moment to look over his progress to make sure everything lined up properly, glanced at Alastor, and then back to his work.  
"Penso che tu sia molto bello..."  
He muttered, directed at Alastor but said more just to himself. He was glad Alastor didn't speak Italian. It gave him some freedom in what he could tell him.

Alastor tilted his head to the left a little as Anthony spoke.  
"I'm afraid you'll have to translate."   
The man chuckled.   
"Or perhaps teach me Italian at some point. At least as much Italian as I can learn before you are to head back to New York."

Anthony shook his head and took a deep breath. There was no way he was going to translate that in a million years.  
"Yeah, I'll teach ya some if y' want. Dunno what y' wanna learn though."  
He shrugged, looking over the drawing again for a moment and then back up to the man.

Alastor thought about that for a moment.   
"Well, you're always muttering things to yourself in Italian, so teach me something that you're always saying- whatever it is."   
He smiled, crossing his other leg now.

Anthony froze. Caught in yet another corner.  
"I could always translate for ya right after. I think I've been doin' pretty good at that."  
He said as he finally looked up after a few moments.  
Of course, this wouldn't be entirely accurate one hundred percent of the time. If he said something that could give him away or sounded weird, he would be able to modify it or change it entirely. He knew he would have to be careful with that too though.

He finished a few lines off and made a few additions before standing and moving closer to Alastor so he could see.  
"È finito. Cosa ne pensi? It's finished. What do you think?"  
He said then repeated, handing the book over.

Alastor leaned over, legs uncrossing so he could get a better look at the drawing that Anthony had been working on for the past hour or just over. He had lost track of time if he was honest.

He observed all of the intricate details down to the smallest lines and shading that had been done of the harsh shadows, in contrast to the sun that had been shining down on his face. Everything was perfection, so precise and carefully drawn out. It was like looking at the scene as if it hadn't even been drawn- rather like a photograph.   
"Wow."   
Alastor quietly let out, nodding softly as he looked up into Anthony's deep green eyes, offering him a genuine smile.   
"It's wonderful."

Anthony couldn't help but look back into Alastor's eyes, noticing they were full of plaudit. He felt his breath leave his lungs again, unable to look away. His green oceans shone with admiration, willingly letting his expression melt into the one seen on a woman when she would see her beloved yet again, feeling himself lean towards the man ever so slightly.

Alastor wasn't sure what this was, that look. He almost wanted to knit his brows together in confusion, but alas, he didn't. He didn't move at all in fact. But now that he thought about it...

It was then that Alastor realized he'd seen this sort of look before, many times; but it had always been unwanted.   
"I... uh, I have a friend."   
He began, quickly leaning back with a small clear of his throat, not really sure where he was going with this as his legs crossed over each other again. 

Anthony jolted and steadied himself, looking away again as he immediately disengaged whatever it was his body was doing. He didn't even know why he was allowing himself to do _whatever_ that was. God, he felt stupid for giving into his desires so easily.

"Madeline. She's really into art as well. Perhaps you could show her some of your stuff sometime- if you're not busy of course... I have a feeling she'd appreciate your talent."   
Quickly handing the book back, Alastor pressed his hands together.

Anthony took the book and looked it over for a moment before carefully tearing the page free and handed it off to the man.  
"Here. Keep it and show her."  
He stated simply, clearing his throat a bit.

Alastor hesitantly took the page with the drawing on as it was handed to him, looking it over briefly before shaking it to ensure the ink was dry.   
"Alright then. I will."   
Not wanting to fold it and run the risk of the ink smudging while it was still fresh, Alastor gently laid the paper down on a small round table that was behind him.   
"I'm sure she'll be most pleased to see such an excellent drawing."

Anthony gave a small smile and curt nod, keeping his body turned slightly and eyes away from the other man as best as he could without making it odd.  
"Yeah, I hope so."  
He said quietly before looking at his watch.  
"It's almost five. Y' ready t' head out?"  
He asked as he pulled the tie from his pocket.

Checking the clock on the wall, Alastor realized that yes, the time was getting on. Standing up from the chair and carefully picking it up, Alastor nodded.   
"Yes, you're right. The place we're eating at gets quite busy, so it's probably best we're a bit early for the dinner service."  
He stated as he brought the chair back to the dining room table.

Giving another nod, Anthony popped his collar and started putting his necktie on as he headed for the door. It almost felt like a walk of shame for something that didn't even happen... but he still thought it, and that was just as bad.  
As he was working on the tie, his hands just wouldn't cooperate and tie it. He was still learning how and his mind couldn't seem to focus enough to figure it out, so with a huff, he stopped and pulled the fabric off of his neck. He didn't necessarily need it anyways.

Alastor was headed to the door, about to grab a hat before thinking better of it and deciding against it this evening- that was when he noticed Anthony's ultimate failure of putting on the piece of fabric.   
"Do you perhaps need some help, my friend?"   
Alastor asked, stepping close to Anthony and holding out his hand for him to give him the tie.   
"Well, I suppose you got the first part right. Lifting your collar, haha."

Anthony was about to put it in his pocket but stopped when he felt Alastor right behind him. Turning slightly, he had to crane his neck a bit so their eyes could properly meet. He then looked down at the tie and sighed, hesitantly handing it over to the taller man.  
"My sister usually does it for me. I've been learnin' but can't seem t' get it. Kinda sad, huh?"  
He chuckled a little at his own failure.

Taking the tie in hand, rubbing his thumb over the nice material with a hum, Alastor held it out and up to Anthony's collar, draping it around his neck.   
"Not sad at all. If you don't wear a tie often, then I suppose it's understandable that you take longer to learn."   
Alastor nodded, standing a little closer to Anthony, and evening the two sides of the tie before beginning to tie it.

Anthony wasn't going to say anything about that. He had to dress sharp all the time back home as his father's expectations.  
He had to fight to keep his eyes off of Alastor as he helped, almost in pain from how badly he wanted to look at him; but he didn't want to risk another close call like the one that transpired only moments ago.

Alastor hummed a jazzy tune as he continued, soon finishing the job as he tightened the loop just enough and let the ends drape down over the Italian's center.  
"And there. Why, you look like the bee's knees now!"

Looking down at the tie once Alastor finished, he gave a small smile of appreciation.  
"Grazie. Thank you."  
He nodded, glancing up at him for a moment.

Patting the blonde on the shoulder twice, Alastor stepped away with a smile and opened the door, slipping on his shoes and tying them up as well once he was out on the porch.  
"Hm, it's a beautiful evening, is it not?"   
The man asked as he waited, closing the door behind the Italian before his hands rested behind his back as he looked up the sun that was now low in the sky.

Anthony followed the other out with a smile, looking out at the dusk before slipping his own shoes on as well.  
"Bellissima. Gorgeous."  
He smiled with a small sigh.

"Lead the way."  
He said as he stood and turned toward Alastor a few moments later.

Closing the door once Anthony was out, Alastor began to lead the way down off the porch and onto the street.   
"It's fairly close. Just a few minutes away from the streetcar stop."   
He nodded, hands staying neatly folded behind his back as he walked.

Anthony gave a nod and followed by Alastor's side with his hands in his pockets, whistling a tune as they walked.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Violence, gore, and murder ahead**

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Thursday, January 13th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Anthony and Alastor's meal was certainly something very pleasant indeed. They'd arrived at the Cajun cuisine restaurant a few minutes before dinner service was to begin and soon after were sitting and chowing down on what Alastor had called one of the best dishes in all of Crescent city- Jambalaya.

A beautiful and comforting mix of chicken, sausage, and vegetables all mixed together in a stock that was spicy, but not so much so that it overpowered everything else, and then the softened rice that came with it all mixed to perfection. If Alastor could, he swore he would live off of jambalaya any day of the year.

When they'd paid for their meal, of course, Anthony this time insisted on paying the bill- which was understandable since Alastor had gathered this to be an evening to celebrate his birthday; and he was okay with that, even if it seemed highly unnecessary.   
  


"Why, you're telling me you've never properly danced before? That's absurd, _everyone_ should know how to dance!"   
Alastor exclaimed as they walked along the lamplit streets, it being well into the evening now, the moon rising in the sky. 

Anthony shook his head, looking up at the sky with a cigarette between his teeth.  
"Not once. Never saw use in it either."  
He shrugged.

"I shall have to teach you, my friend. Even if it's simply a few steps."

The Italian's eyes widened slightly at the suggestion, immediately looking at the other.  
"What, now? We can't. Y' know that's illegal if the two of us get caught, right? Two men dancin' t'gether?"  
This certainly put him in a bit of a frantic state.

Chuckling a little at Anthony's words, Alastor gave him a slight look of disbelief.   
"What?"   
He replied in a similar fashion, shaking his head.   
"Anthony, it's dancing. And no, I didn't exactly mean now, we're going to see a picture show in a few minutes after all."

The movie theatre was relatively close to the restaurant, again, no streetcar required. It was around two streets away now, and thankfully it wasn't too late, the two of them planning to catch the last showing of whatever playing. Alastor found the silent movies these days quite fascinating.

Anthony visibly relaxed, taking another drag of his cigarette.  
"It's still illegal."  
He stated.  
"Not t' mention you're taller, so you'd be the one leadin'. How am I supposed t' learn t' lead like that?"  
He added, flicking the now finished cigarette away, letting the smoke leave his mouth and fade into the night.

Alastor supposed Anthony's second point was correct. He may have only ever danced with his mother before, but dancing as a taller person automatically meant you took the lead in most cases.   
"Ah yes, I suppose you learning to follow wouldn't work. Especially if one day you are to dance with a wo-"

As soon as he glanced to his left, Anthony noticed someone _very_ out of place. Raising a brow, he had to do a double-take and nudged Alastor lightly before nodding subtly in the direction he just looked.  
"Somethin' about that ain't right, Smiles."

The sudden _odd_ sight completely derailed Alastor's train of thought, the man's eyes locking into a very out of place sight indeed.   
Continuing to walk with Anthony, albeit slower as to not raise suspicion, Alastor glanced down at the other with narrowed eyes, giving him a nod that he knew would be interpreted as 'let's follow.'  
Batallier was _not_ supposed to be here this time of day. Hell, he _never_ came to this part of the city.

Anthony gave a nod in response, stopping in his tracks.  
"Well, pal, I'll see ya t'morrow, yeah?"  
He stated with a wink, a signal for them to split up a bit. Usually, they would take different routes but ultimately stay where they could see either each other, Batallier, or both. They only executed this sort of plan twice before and it worked out well, Anthony using it quite a bit back home if he found he was to work with his brother.

Alastor's eyes narrowed and his brows creased together as Batallier was quietly observed walking by.   
"Yes, good day my friend."   
And with that, the two of them went their separate ways.

With another nod, Anthony started to head back the way they came but making sure to stay within range.  
This was concerning. What was he doing here? It was definitely abnormal behavior that he would have to mention to his father later on in his next letter.

Of course, Alastor had his knife on him- he always did; and he knew for a fact that Anthony would have his gun on him too. They were at least able to defend themselves if need be in regards to Batallier's suddenly off schedule evening walk.   
Then again, this could all be absolutely nothing, but it could also be _something_ , and if it costed them a picture show? Then so be it.

Anthony didn't care about any of that anymore anyway. He was here for a job and he was damn well going to do it.

As he walked, he made sure to stay in the shadows. It was times like these that he thanked his father for training him to be light on his feet.

Anthony was starting to get more and more curious about what the man was doing. Pulling out his notebook, he quickly and quietly scribed the time, date, and situation before putting the book back in his pocket.

He followed for about five minutes before Batallier was coming up close to a well-dressed man that stood under a street lamp. From what Anthony could see, this man looked like someone he would see within the Family back home.   
Getting as close as possible without being noticed, Anthony did his best to listen to every word being said, but unfortunately, everything was being said in French. He was hoping Alastor was close enough to listen.

Alastor too made sure to observe from the shadows, using every street corner to his advantage until eventually, Batallier and an unknown man met underneath the light of a lamp. The unknown man's face was still shadowed by his hat he wore, but his voice was clear from where Alastor stood close by.   
He could only presume that Anthony was close too.

The two men began to speak in French, Alastor's interest somewhat piqued as they quietly whispered about Batallier's transportation of alcohol that stretched across a number of states. However, there was _one_ thing that didn't sit right with Alastor.   
Batallier was the one giving all the information and important details, the other man simply seemed to just be... listening, agreeing where necessary. The unknown man didn't say who he was, give any input into the conversation about alcohol transportation, he didn't say much _at all_ , but there was no doubt that he was with the target. He wouldn't be here otherwise.

The conversation seemed to be going in a mostly predictable direction, Batallier speaking about his contraband and then the other man replying with a nod. But unexpectedly, the conversation took a turn, one that made Alastor's mind do a complete 180.

"I know how it sounds, glomming drugs from the hospital I fund only to sell it on for triple, if not more it's original price. But you can't blame me, can you? It's not like those nurses working there will say anything. Bimbos, all of 'em. You know, my good friend, if you're still around tomorrow I could let you have at one. Do whatever y' want."   
Batallier spoke with with a carefree tone, chuckling deeply as he slapped the other man on the back a few times.

"I'm not here for your dumb Dora nurses, Lawrence. Do what _you_ want with 'em. Shoot 'em dead for all I care. Just get me my mazuma and I'll help you out."   
The other man replied in perfect French, however, Alastor _did_ pick up on a slight accent in his words.

But nonetheless, Alastor was irritated. He was annoyed. Angered, almost, at the conversation topic. If that was how it was going to be? Then so be it. Playing dirty was what Alastor did best when he really wanted to.

Anthony started looking around for Alastor after a few moments to see if he was close enough to hear what was being said. The streets were scarce, which was a little strange considering the night was still fairly young. Then again, Anthony didn't know what this part of the city was really like.

As quick as they'd met with each other, quickly were the two men going their separate ways again, Batallier most likely going home considering the direction he was headed. But the other man? He was walking towards the edge of the main street, closer to the denser trees area by the bayou in the near distance.

Once he thought it was clear, Anthony shifted out of his hiding spot and out into the light so Alastor would be able to see him from wherever he was, watching the mystery man walk down the street.  
  


Stepping out from the shadows once the man had walked further up the street, Alastor looked across at Anthony who had shown himself now.  
"Come on."   
He spoke curtly with a nod, beginning to slowly walk after the mystery man.

Anthony glanced at Alastor and gave a bit of a nod.  
"What were they talkin' about?"  
He asked, keeping his eyes on their new mystery target as he opened his notebook again.

Alastor scoffed, turning to Anthony.   
"Despicable words, my friend. Foul."   
Clearly, Alastor was bothered by the mention of the nurses on Batallier's part, and while the other man there hadn't said much- he'd said enough.

Anthony's brows furrowed as he looked up at Alastor now.  
"Anythin' about the bootleg?"  
He asked, now wondering if this was even worth his own time.

Alastor shook his head, starting to walk a little quicker now.   
"Nothing that we don't already know. It was an odd exchange, certainly suspicious."   
He explained.

"What're we followin' for?"

Eyes narrowing a little at Anthony's second question, there was a moment of silence before Alastor answered that, smile slowly growing upon his face as he glared daggers into the man's back from where they walked at a fair distance from him.   
"Personal reasons."

Anthony looked ahead again, now curious as to what he meant by that. Now he _really_ wished he spoke French so he could be in the loop. He'd have to get Alastor to repeat everything that was said later just to make sure there wasn't anything being left out.

The two of them walked in silence for a while, following the man who never even looked back _once_ at them until eventually... they came to the edge of the bayou, thick and low hanging trees covering the area, the occasional firefly and the moon peeking through the trees being the only source of light.

Anthony was starting to get a bad feeling about this, unsure as to why they were following this man. Something he said or _didn't_ say got Alastor in a bit of a twist and he was completely in the dark about it. Alastor had his mind set on something but he didn't know what.   
He was worried, but not for his own safety, but rather what was going to happen to this other man.  
"We shouldn't kill him, if that's what you're doin'."

The man was still in sight, just about, and while Alastor was unsure where he was actually headed, that didn't matter too much. This environment was all too perfect. 

"No."   
Was all Alastor replied, pushing some low hanging branches out the way, clearing the way for him and Anthony to get past.   
" _I_ don't plan on finishing him off."

"What's _that_ supposed t' mean?"  
The Italian asked as he glanced up at the butcher for a moment.  
"What'd he even say?"  
He asked as he continued along the narrow path as quietly as he could.

If Alastor was being honest, there was no real _rational_ reason to be following this man. His thought process at the moment was simply that this man was speaking with Batallier, getting money from him for some reason or another and the both of them had more or less insulted his mother and her co-workers.

As they stepped closer, Alastor paused, not answering Anthony, instead putting a finger to his lips, hearing the rustling of leaves very close by now.

Anthony decided to just be quiet and go with it, walking a little ways in front of Alastor.  
His father never said anything about taking anyone other than Batallier out, so he supposed if Alastor really wanted to make a hit on someone, as long as it wasn't Batallier, there wouldn't be a problem.

Alastor too was impossibly quiet as he walked, the smile on his face only widening all the more once the man was spotted by the riverbank, staring right at him. Obviously, this whole trek had meant to lead them here, the man knowing that he was being followed which was a given. Alastor and Anthony weren't exactly being discreet as they followed the man here through the streets.

The Italian stopped a little way away from their new target as soon as he saw the man turn slightly and reach into his coat.

"Aye, what 'cha doin', pal?"  
Anthony asked, playing coy as he raised his hands a bit to show he was unarmed and not a threat.

"The two of you aren't the greatest at being quiet, are you."  
The man smirked.  
"Should have kept to yourselves out of harm's way."

Anthony looked to Alastor, unable to understand what was being said due to it all being French.

Stepping closer, it was as Anthony revealed himself to the man that Alastor stilled, the smile still very much on his face even as he watched as the man pulled out a gun. It appeared to have a silencer attached to it.  
"English, if you please."   
Alastor stated in French simply to the man, wanting Anthony to actually be able to understand this conversation and what was happening.

The man raised a brow, deciding to switch to English.  
"Oh, well, it doesn't really matter either way if you're both going to end up being gator food in a few moments."  
He shrugged, pointing the gun at the two intruders. Now that the man was speaking English, a clear and thick southern accent was clear, quite the contrast to when he had been speaking French.

Anthony brows furrowed slightly as the gun was aimed at them, slowly walking forward.  
"What, did we learn somethin' we weren't supposed t' know? We just wanted t' make sure you were okay. Y' know, late at night, walkin' down into the woods..."  
He began as he continued walking towards the man calmly, hands still up.  
"Just put the gun down and relax."

With Anthony talking to the man, Alastor slowly walked forwards a little more, completely disregarding the fact that a gun was present.   
"I see you and Lawrence Batallier are rather close. Quite the man, is he not?"   
Alastor spoke now, beginning to roll up the sleeves of his jacket and shirt.

The man's expression changed to one of an almost sadistic anger as he pulled he hammer of the gun back and finger on the trigger, about to say something before Anthony lunged forward and to the side, grabbing the gun with his left hand and pointed it away from himself and Alastor, the man pulling the trigger at that moment out of surprise, the bullet going directly into the river.   
The Italian then used the side of his wrist to jab into the man's wrist, grabbing the side of the barrel with his free hand, twisting it so the man's grip loosened, then swept at his ankles to get him to fall back onto the ground, switched the rolls, gun now in his own hands and aimed at the man.

The man had a clear look of shock on his face as he slowly raised his hands, seemingly unable to speak as Anthony pulled back the hammer of the gun again to ready the next shot if it turned out to be needed.

Alastor simply stood still with one hell of a wide smile upon his face as Anthony disarmed the man of his gun, not flinching at all at the sound of the shot before the sound of the bullet skimming into the water echoed.   
"Why, won't you look at that, haha!"   
Alastor laughed, slowly reaching into the inside pocket of his jacket, slowly pulling out a chestnut handled knife, twirling it around in his grip a few times.   
"You best be careful where you point that thing... wouldn't want to hit any of the gators now, would you?"

The man's eyes narrowed slightly, looking at Alastor now.  
"What do you want?"  
He asked as he then looked to Anthony again for a moment, hands still where they were clearly seen.

Anthony didn't show any signs of disengaging, eyes staying on the man with an intense stare. He didn't have the answer to that, only going along with what Alastor seemed to be so intent on doing.

Slowly, Alastor knelt down beside the man, head tilting to the side slightly, his smile impossibly wide.   
"Absolutely _nothing_. I suppose you could just say I'm bored."   
Very slowly, almost agonizingly so, Alastor began to lightly slice the knife across the man's neck, drawing blood but not cutting deep enough to cause any real damage. Just yet.  
"Why, you can run if you'd like. But Anthony here won't hesitate to put a bullet in your brain if you do."

Anthony watched Alastor closely as he teasingly made the cut, brows furrowing as his chest tightened a little.

The man tilted his head away from the local man and leaned away.  
"I'm not going to rat on anyone if that's what you want from me."  
He stated almost calmly.

Sitting back with a shake of his head, Alastor quickly glanced up at Anthony before returning his unfaltering gaze to the man.   
"Oh, I _know_ you won't be tattling after this."   
Alastor replied just as calmly, picking up the knife and going over the cut he'd already made on the man's neck, however a little harder this time, the man grunting in discomfort this time.  
"I would usually take my time, put on a show for my dear friend over there, however, we happen to be _quite_ busy. It's a special day you see... and you have made today absolutely perfect by _far_."   
And with that, he drove the knife firmly into the man's jugular, blood splattering up onto the bridge of Alastor's nose and forehead.

Before the man could get any proper words out, he began grunting and sputtering loudly as the blood was freed from his body. He grabbed at Alastor's wrist as best as he could, sounds of extreme agony leaving him with widened eyes as if he couldn't come to terms with the fact that this was actually happening to him.

Anthony was frozen in his place, unable to speak or move aside from a slight tremor running through his arms. Hardly even breathe. He never saw a murder happen like this before. The crimes he committed or witnessed were all quick and to the point, little to no chatter involved besides maybe the victim pleading for their life.   
The look on Alastor's face put him off too. It was terrifying to see so much enjoyment in someone's features during such a brutal act. He'd already seen the man with blood all over him, so that wasn't much of a bother, but the _look_.

Alastor watched as the blood drenched and showered down from the man's neck, his chokes and splutters like absolute music to his ears.   
Alastor closed his eyes in bliss as he ripped the knife out and plunged it back in again, more blood spraying out onto his hand, knife and the ground along with more desperate noises that were eventually followed by silence as the man perished.

He had to take a few moments before removing the knife for good this time and wiping it on the grass beneath him before slowly standing, the man falling limp out of his grasp and onto the ground as blood began to further soak the ground he laid upon.   
Clearing his throat upon remembering that Anthony was still very much watching, Alastor looked down at his hands, blood staining them. 

"Do you mind checking him for belongings? I need to wash my hands in the river quickly."   
He spoke as calmly as ever.

Anthony was so focused on the man dying in front of him that Alastor's voice startled him, flinching and pointing the gun at the man for a moment. Blinking a few times, he then hesitantly lowered the gun, something in his eyes that could easily be mistaken for fear, but it was far from that. 

Looking at Anthony as the gun was pointed in his direction paired with what Alastor _thought_ was fear, Alastor simply shrugged and passed the Italian without a care in the world, simply knowing that it wasn't intentional as he walked away towards the edge of the river. Kneeling down by the water, Alastor quickly ran his fingers through the cool water, sighing softly to himself as he watched the blood run off of his skin. He had needed that. Finally, he was calm.

Keeping his eyes on the taller man to make sure he wasn't going to attack him next with his back turned, Anthony slowly approached the corpse, keeping his eyes on Alastor for as long as he could as he patted the victim down, finding something in the breast pocket of his coat. Reaching in with his free hand while making sure to get as little blood on him as possible, he pulled out a wallet, set it on the ground, and finished patting him down.   
After finding nothing else, Anthony grabbed the wallet and stood.

As he stood to head back to Anthony though, Alastor looked up, spotting one or two rather large shadows floating through the bayou river; causing the water around the shadows to ripple slightly.   
"Hm."   
Alastor hummed, quickly making his way back to Anthony with a spring in his step. It seemed the gunshot attracted some helpful friends.

Anthony held up the wallet, the gun still in his other hand  
"No rounds on him, no other weapons, nothin'. Just this. "   
He stated, voice a little quiet.  
"What'd he say?"  
He asked again now that everything hopefully cooled down.

Alastor raised a brow, nodding at the wallet that Anthony had found.   
"It... wasn't necessarily _him_ that said anything. I suppose Batallier once again irked me, shall we say."   
Alastor slowly explained, unbuttoning the buttons of his jacket and slipping off, folding it and placing it on the ground before moving over to the body.   
"Help me carry him to the water?"

Anthony gave a small nod and looked down at the corpse, pocketing the wallet for now and rolled up his sleeves. The body was still kind of twitching and blood was still running out of his neck.  
He had to remind himself that Alastor did this for fun and there were no expectations for him. As long as he didn't get caught, he had freedom to it all.   
Kneeling down and grabbing the man's legs, he looked to Alastor to make sure he was ready.

As Alastor moved around to lift the man by his torso, he caught the look in Anthony's eyes. He hadn't forgotten the supposed fear he'd noticed the shorter man wearing just moments earlier.   
"I, ugh, apologize if that's not what you were expecting... I didn't mean to scare you."   
He murmured, the two of them lifting the body on three.

Anthony shook his head a little and lifted the body, keeping his eyes away from it. He didn't say anything, unsure of what he was even supposed to say at the moment other than a very small 'Non ti preoccupare', or, 'don't worry'.

Alastor said nothing more as they carried the body to the side of the river where he had been washing his hands free of blood simply a few moments ago.

Placing the body down right on the edge, all they had to do was simply roll it in. As Alastor had seen earlier, the dark shadows in the river immediately began to swim towards the body in the water, slowly beginning to surface and reveal themselves as being two relatively large alligators.

The water quickly started to flow with red, Anthony taking a few steps back as the creatures' bellowing became louder the closer they came. He wanted to grab Alastor and pull him back too but wasn't sure how well that would play out, so he let him stay as he was and do as he pleased. He took the chance to disarm the firearm and throw it as far into the river as he could and watched quietly for a few moments as the monstrous creatures sunk into the water again before lunging up out of the water with mouths open wide, trapping the body in their jaws and started ripping it apart.   
Anthony jumped, back hitting the trunk of a tree and kept himself firmly against it, closing his eyes tightly and nails almost digging into the bark.

Alastor watched, his chin raised slightly as the animals dragged the body under, beginning to devour it.   
He was about to open his mouth and ask Anthony something, however suddenly paused, seeing the man closing his eyes tightly as if his life depended on it. And then Alastor remembered... Anthony was only seventeen, and he'd already told Alastor that he only killed because he _had_ to. This must have been... different. No doubt. 

"Come on, I shall walk you back to the hotel."   
Alastor slowly let out, standing in front of Anthony's view of the river after grabbing his coat, hesitantly reaching out for his shoulder, patting it twice. 

Anthony flinched at the touch, eyes shooting open to look at the man in front of him. He nearly stopped breathing, feeling his heart leap into his throat. He wasn't sure what this feeling was but he couldn't speak. Not in Italian, not in English, nothing.

"Don't look. I'm sorry, it was wrong for me to have indulged you in my own wants."   
The man sighed as he led Anthony away from the river, making sure that he didn't look back.

As he was guided away from the scene, Anthony tried to look back but was stopped by Alastor, instead, looking up at him with those shiny green pools. _That look_ taking hold again but only for a moment before he caught himself and looked ahead.

At some point though, Alastor must have pulled his gaze away from the path ahead because those eyes- those _beautiful_ eyes. They were just staring at him in that way. The same way from earlier that afternoon.   
Much like Anthony, Alastor quickly pulled himself away from that and continued on.

Swiftly, he guided Anthony away from the riverside, still keeping a hand upon the small of the Italian's back as he led him back the way they'd come initially, the silence between them now as splashing water could be heard in the background.

Anthony glanced up at Alastor again before they left the wooded area and stopped. He started to take off his tie and used it to wipe the blood off of the butcher's face carefully, keeping his eyes fixated on the blood that was still on his forehead, cheek, and nose, nothing else, not wanting to put himself at risk of doing something stupid again. Once it was all cleared, Anthony put the tie in his pocket, for now, planning to burn it a little later, then continued on.

Their walk to the streetcar stop was a very quiet one between the two. Anthony was still trying to process how he felt and why he was feeling the way he was. 

As they walked back to the streetcar, Alastor wasn't really sure what to say. He was thankful that Anthony had wiped the blood off of his face, but for everything else, he _almost_ felt guilty.   
This was an evening that they were supposed to enjoy- it was an evening where Anthony was supposed to go to a picture show for the first time. But alas, that hadn't happened.

Once at their destination and the streetcar came into view, Anthony turned to Alastor after taking a deep breath.  
"You uh... you can go home now. Get cleaned up. I'll be fine from here."

The man sighed.   
"No, it's quite alright Anthony."   
He nodded, letting the other onto the car first as it stopped in front of them. Truth be told, he wanted to talk with Anthony. Of course, that couldn't be done out in the open. He wanted to make sure he was okay more than anything.

The rest of the way back was, again, silent. It confused Anthony a bit, why Alastor wanted to escort him back to the hotel. He wasn't going to stop him though. He enjoyed the man's company a great deal.

Anthony didn't say anything as they made it to the hotel, letting Alastor follow him inside and up to his room, knowing the man would take his leave when he felt like it. He pulled the key out of his pocket and unlocked the door, looking up at the man before pushing the door open as if to ask if he was coming in.

Alastor nodded in thanks as the door was opened, deciding to go in, looking to Anthony as he stepped in too and the door was closed behind them both.   
"Are you alright?"   
Alastor soon asked, moving over to a chair by the window and sitting down.   
"I wanted to make sure that you were alright. And if you would like to talk it over, then I think that would probably help."  
Truth be told, Alastor had no idea why he was doing this. He supposed it was similar to what someone else had done for him a long time ago.

Anthony watched as Alastor took his seat, staying by the door as he began emptying his pockets. He shook his head a bit as he walked over to the small table and put his notebook, pen, and bloodied tie on the surface.  
"Don't worry about it. Just... new t' me, that's all."  
He stated softly as he pulled out his cigarette box, lighting one up to help calm himself a little more.

Crossing a leg over his lap, Alastor slowly nodded, lips pursing together.   
"Well, I shouldn't have done that around you. And I, again, apologize."

"Was anythin' said about the booze though? I gotta know so I can make sure we got everythin'."  
He asked, trying to keep his mind on the important details and not think about the beautiful brutality that took place.

In regards to the conversation between Batallier and the man though, Alastor shook his head.   
"It was mostly Batallier bragging about his transports across the country. He said nothing of importance to your business here, don't worry."   
Reaching into his pocket for his own cigarette box, Alastor sighed in annoyance, realizing he'd left it at home.

Anthony observed, offering his own box to the butcher to have a cigarette too.  
"Pops never said nothin' about takin' out the guy's accomplices so y' can do whatever y' want."  
He hummed, running his fingers through his blonde locks a bit.  
"Are _you_ okay though? That seemed like a pretty personal attack."  
He added, keeping his eyes on the table where his belongings were, pulling his wallet out of his pocket to add it to the pile.

Taking a cigarette with a nod, Alastor rested it in between his teeth as he got out a match and lit the end, eyes closing as he sighed again, taking a drag.   
"Yes, _I'm_ fine. I feel much better actually."   
That might have sounded fairly messed up, but that was just the way things were with Alastor.

Anthony took a breath and nodded, leaning himself against the wall and wrapped an arm around his torso in a kind of hug.   
"Alright, well, anythin' else y' wanted t' talk about?"  
He asked as he remembered the man's wallet in his back pocket and pulled it out.

Slowly standing, Alastor moved across to stand beside Anthony, running a hand through his hair.  
"I just wanted to make sure that you were okay. We're business partners remember? Can't have your mind all messed up over this now, can we?"   
With a small smile, Alastor hesitantly leaned over to wrap an arm half around Anthony in a sort of side hug, patting his back twice. 

As Alastor stood, Anthony glanced up at him, and as he moved in closer, he knew that moving away was usually the correct action to take, but he didn't. He actually leaned into him and rested his temple against Alastor's shoulder, stopping himself from full-on hugging him.  
He only ever hugged his sister, and even that was uncommon. Affection of any kind was unheard of in his household.

Alastor could see from the others body language that he wasn't feeling so great right now, and Alastor was by no means an affectionate person, even with close friends, but he wanted to at least comfort Anthony if he could. He saw how scared he looked as the man's body was being ripped apart by those alligators.  
He was surprised to feel Anthony resting the side of his head upon his shoulder, but welcomed it regardless, the two of them pulling back after a moment or two.

The blonde pulled away when he felt it was more than enough despite wanting to stay as close to the man as long as he could, giving a nod and held the wallet up for the man to take with him. It was of no use to him or anything regarding his purpose by the sounds of things.

"Grazie..."

"It's really nothing." 

Alastor smiled, stepping away and taking another drag of his cigarette, taking the wallet and put it in his pocket.  
"I should really get going pretty soon. I had a wonderful evening, thank you, Anthony, and I hope you enjoyed the food."

Anthony gave a bit of a nod and slowly walked to the door.  
"I did. Your birthday was hopefully a good one, Smiles."  
He gave a bit of a smile towards Alastor as he opened the door for him, keeping his eyes on the floor.  
"I'll see ya t'morrow, right?"

Stepping out of the door as it was opened, Alastor returned the smile.   
"It was a great birthday Anthony, thank you. Tomorrow it is."   
With a small wave, Alastor was walking away down hallway, no intention of going home _just_ yet. Rosie would want to know about this evening's endeavors no doubt.

Anthony watched as Alastor walked down the hall, sighing to himself.  
"Non posso negare la mia attrazione molto più a lungo..."  
He muttered to himself, closing the door a few moments after Alastor was out of sight.


	14. Chapter 14

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Thursday, January 13th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

The walk from the hotel to Rosie's home was a fairly peaceful one, Alastor enjoying the cooler air compared to the rather stuffy interior of the hotel.

As he stepped up to her front door, Alastor flicked the end of his cigarette away, knocking upon her door as he usually did.

A few moments passed before the door slowly opened, Madeline standing on the other side. A smile found a place on her face when she saw that it was Alastor.  
"Oh, hello Alastor! Have you come to bid me good night?"  
She half teased, opening the door a little more to let him in.

Alastor had a wide smile upon his face, one that faltered in the slightest upon seeing Madeline and _not_ Rosie.   
"Ah, Maddie. What a pleasure. Is your mother around?"   
He asked, stepping in with a nod and completely ignoring her little quip as he looked around.

"She's upstairs. I'll fetch her for you."  
The girl stated with a bit of a dampened tone as she shut the door behind Alastor and made her way towards and up the stairs.

As he waited for Madeline to fetch Rosie, Alastor looked around the hallway a bit, not really sure why when he'd been to this home a million times over. 

Madeline was gone for a few minutes before she came back down.  
"She'll be along shortly. Happy birthday by the way."  
She smiled with a tilt of her head.  
"Did you do anything special? I know you usually don't, but you're nineteen now. Maybe something has changed?"

When Madeline returned, Alastor smiled.   
"Why, thank you. And yes, I had a meal out with a friend this evening. It was quite nice."   
He nodded, hands resting behind his back.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. Do I know this friend of yours?"  
She pried, making her way into the lounge to take a seat. Rosie was just finishing up a bath, so she would be another few minutes.

Following Madeline into the lounge, Alastor took a seat on one of the couches, glancing across to her.   
"Uh, no. I don't think you know them. I actually had something of theirs to show you, but I didn't bring it with me, unfortunately. Perhaps next time."   
He had been truthful earlier when he told Anthony that Madeline was a keen artist herself and would be interested in seeing his work, so it was a shame that he had left the drawing the Italian had done of him back at home.

"Oh? You've caught my interest. What did this friend of yours give you?"  
Madeline asked, now extremely curious about this friend of his and wondering why he hadn't brought them up before.

"Well, they actually drew _me_ this afternoon, and can I tell you, they're awfully talented at their art. I wanted to show you the drawing since I knew you'd appreciate it too."   
Alastor smiled with a nod, looking up to the ceiling as he heard footsteps just above them.

"Ah, they sound wonderful!"  
Madeline exclaimed with a smile despite the bit of jealousy starting to build.  
"I assume they're from out of town seeing as I think I know all of your friends within the city."  
She added.

Nodding with a wide smile of his own, Alastor replied.   
"Ah, yes. They're simply visiting for a while from far up the country."   
He explained.

Just as Madeline was about to say something, some movement was heard from upstairs, Rosie making her way down. Madeline stood from her seat and walked over to Alastor.  
"I hope to see you again soon. Good night."  
She said as she leaned down and placed a kiss to his cheek before rushing to the stairs just as her mother made it to the bottom.

Alastor gave Rosie a nod of acknowledgment as she made her way down the stairs.  
"Uh, yes, goodnight Mad-"   
He paused as the kiss was placed to his cheek, Alastor pursing his lips together with a curt nod, eyes falling to the floor.   
"-eline." 

"Good evening, my dear. You have news, I presume?"  
Rosie greeted as she watched her daughter with a hint of disapproval in her eyes before moving further into the room.

As Rosie came to sit across from him, Alastor sat up a little, chin raising as he cast the Madeline issue aside.   
"Yes, I _certainly_ have news tonight. The evening was rather all over the place."

Rosie smoothed out her skirt and folded her hands neatly on her lap.  
"I assume it has to do with Anthony, seeing as he's all you ever seem to talk about these days."  
She was beginning to come up with ideas surrounding Anthony and Alastor's partnership due to the fact that Alastor seemed so caught up with Anthony on his mind every time she would meet with him.

Alastor scoffed a little at that, rolling his eyes with a small grin.   
"It's _not_ all I talk about these days. I'd like to think that my conversations are far more interesting than simply talking about Anthony."   
He insisted.   
"But yes... it has everything to do with Anthony. _Coincidentally_ , of course. Not because it's all I talk about."

Rosie tilted her chin down slightly and raised a brow in a clear look of suspicion for a moment before giving a nod.  
"Very well then. You have my ears."

Alastor took a breath, leaning back in his seat as he began.   
"In light of my birthday, despite me telling him that I didn't much celebrate it, Anthony and I went out for dinner."   
Alastor began simply, knowing he had Rosie's attention.

Rosie gave a slow nod.  
"And... the issue with that is... what, exactly?"

"No no no, Rosie that was not the issue."   
Alastor shook his head, waving his hand dismissively.   
"It's what happened _after_ our meal as we were headed to the picture show. _That's_ where things took a turn."   
He started again, taking another breath.   
"We spotted Batallier and another unknown man speaking from a distance. This was odd because Batallier is _never_ seen in the Bywater area; and the man he briefly met with was somebody who neither Anthony nor I recognized."

Rosie raised a brow at that.  
"So this isn't really about Anthony? Alastor, you're managing to confuse me quite a lot."

Alastor shook his head again.   
"Now now Rosie, let's not get ahead."   
He smirked, knowing all too well that she was rather eager for him to get to the point.   
"The man that Batallier was with, I killed him. And Anthony seemed... frightened? I'm not quite sure if that's the word I would use, but Anthony was there and there was certainly some form of conflict on his face as I killed the man and disposed of his body into the bayou, the alligators, as you can imagine, coming after it rather quickly."

Rosie knew very well of Alastor's killing habits and style, having taught him quite a bit if not all of it herself.  
"Oh, I see."  
She hummed, her tone holding a fair bit of interest in it.  
"Fear or something else you say? How do you mean? You've seen fear on many faces before, as have I, so I'm quite sure by now you're able to tell if it was or not."

Alastor's gaze fell to the floor, the cogs in his mind turning as he tried to think and put every single piece of this strange puzzle together.   
"It _wasn't_ fear."   
Alastor finally settled on, looking quickly up into Rosie's eyes.   
"But it also _wasn't_ something that I am by any means familiar with."

"You're _certain_ you haven't seen it before?"  
She asked, brow raised in a quizzing manner.

Rolling his eyes, Alastor shook his head.   
"I didn't come here to be quizzed, Rosie."   
He spoke, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out a leather wallet, placing it on the low table in front of both him and Rosie.   
"Look, I don't know for _sure_ what it was, Rosie dear. I shall simply leave it open for speculation on your part."

Rosie gave a bit of a nod and crossed one leg over the other, leaning back into her seat.  
"Well, don't forget, he isn't looking to court a woman."  
She reminded, giving a nod towards the wallet.  
"Whose is that?"

Alastor didn't have to be reminded of that. He knew damn well what Anthony's preferences were.   
"It belonged to the man I killed. I have yet to look it over."   
Alastor spoke, leaning forwards and opening the wallet up, spinning it around to face Rosie.   
"I can't imagine there's anything all too interesting in there."

Rosie leaned forward as well and reached out, taking the item and looking over the contents with an observing hum.  
"Robert Provenzano. He was a member of the mafia. The name says it all. Do you know if anyone saw you with this man?"  
She asked as she continued carding through the contents.

Alastor's smile quickly faded, brows furrowing as he shook his head.   
"No, no one saw us. But the mafia? How can you be certain?"   
He asked quickly, moving forwards to sit on the edge of his seat.  
"If it _is_ the case, then I shall have to inform Antony immediately."

"If anyone saw you and found out he was dead, there would likely be a hit put on your head. Anthony too."  
She began.  
"Think for a moment. Anthony is here on mafia business, is he not? Wouldn't it make sense for Lawrence to have some sort of affiliation with the mafia if Anthony is here for him? Not to mention being associated with someone with a name like Provenzano."  
She explained.

Alastor carefully stood, nodding slowly at Rosie's words, all of it making sense. Of course they did, Rosie was almost always spot on with situations like this.   
"You're quite right. Do you mind if I use your phone? I have to inform Anthony. I'm sure he will be both pleased and worried to hear this."

Rosie gave a nod, closing the wallet before waving him off.  
"Do as you please. You know you're welcome to anything here, dear."

Thanking Rosie, Alastor was quickly walking off to the back room where the woman kept the phone and phonebook. Picking up the receiver, it wasn't long before he was put through to an operator, giving her the number to the St Charles Hotel and then being put through to the main desk there.  
Upon requesting to be then put through to a Mr. Anthony Ragnatela, it was a few short moments later that Alastor heard the muffled dial tone, waiting for Anthony to pick up.

Anthony was just finishing a note in his notebook when his phone began to ring. Jumping up out of his seat and over to the phone, he quickly answered, hoping it was a call from his father saying that he could take the target out.  
"È ora di trasferirsi?"

As soon as Anthony's voice came through the receiver, Alastor raised a brow, not understanding a word.   
"Uh, Anthony? I apologize for calling you so late but there's something I have to tell you."   
Alastor spoke quickly.

Anthony blinked a few times, realizing this wasn't his father.  
"Oh, Smiles, what's happenin'? Everythin' okay?"  
He asked, glancing out of his window for a moment.

Alastor cleared his throat a little, smiling slightly at the nickname that fit him quite well.   
"Yes, everything is okay _now_ , but I fear that it may not be in the near future."   
He began.   
"Remember that man from earlier, the one by the river?"   
Alastor continued, wanting to be relatively vague in case an operator was listening.

"Yeah, what about him?"  
The blonde asked out of curiosity. This must have been really important to warrant a call from Alastor. He knew he didn't have a phone at home so he must have gone to someone's house that did have one.

"Robert Provenzano is his name. Now, I don't know if that will tell you anything, perhaps, but if not then I think his _family_ might not be ones to mess with."   
Alastor continued, twirling the wire of the phone around a finger, eagerly waiting for a response.

Anthony leaned against the wall a bit, covering his mouth with a hand for a moment in thought. Alastor probably shouldn't have given the name over the phone just in case, but it was already said and done.  
"This ain't a conversation t' have now. I'm about t' head t' bed."  
By that, he meant that they would have to talk about it more in person and in a place they knew they wouldn't be overheard.  
"You should be off t' bed too, shouldn't ya?"

Alastor of course understood what Anthony was trying to say, nodding to himself as he let go of the phone wire.   
It was risky even phoning up to speak about this, but it couldn't wait.   
"You're right. I shall see you bright and early in the morning then, my friend."

"Wanna meet early before y' gotta work? Just name a time and a place and I'll be there."  
Anthony replied calmly.

Alastor paused a moment to think, settling on a location.   
"The front of the docks near the French Quarter. Six in the morning if that's alright, I'm opening up shop at seven."   
He gave his response just as calmly.

"You got it, boss. See ya then."  
With that, Anthony ended the call.

As the line went dead, Alastor placed the receiver back on the wall, stepping away from the phone and slowly making his way back through the home and over to Rosie who was still in the lounge.   
"I told him. We will be discussing more privately tomorrow morning. So, since I have to be up early, I suppose I shall have to get going soon."

Rosie stood and gave a nod.  
"Yes, that is probably best. Do stay safe out there, Alastor. Just in case."  
She then brought him over to the door with a small smile.  
"Happy birthday, my dear. I'm glad you had an overall enjoyable day."

Following the woman over to the door, Alastor stepped out with a smile as it was opened.   
"Yes, thank you, Rosie. I shall see you shortly to update you on the situation and on Anthony. Goodnight."

"Please do. Give him my best. Good night, Alastor."  
Rosie smiled as she closed the door.  
  
  


The next morning, an early Friday, it was rather cold with a few clouds in the grey sky at six o'clock.   
Just as Alastor had said, at precisely six did he find himself walking along the boat docks in the French Quarter, quietly observing some of the fishermen at work as he awaited the arrival of Anthony.

The Italian in question was along shortly after, fedora on his head but otherwise in his usual casual attire. It was still warmer than what he was used to back home.   
As he noticed Alastor in the near distance, he quickened his pace a bit so they wouldn't be caught in the possible rain the loomed within the clouds that resided overhead.

Alastor soon spotted Anthony walking towards him, the older man nodding in his direction, as he began to walk towards him too, both of them meeting in the middle.

"Smiles, what happened last night?"  
The blonde asked once they were in earshot of each other.

"I've mentioned her before, and I'm sure you've met her briefly once before too, however, after I left your hotel room last night, I made a short detour at my friend Rosie's home." 

Alastor explained.

Anthony gave a nod.  
"Alright, and the guy from last night? What didja find out?"  
He asked as he took a quick look around to make sure no one was in close range.

"The wallet he had on him, we looked through it and discovered his name, Robert Provenzano. And down here? With a name like that, there's only one explanation according to Rosie. Not to mention, I wouldn't put it past Batallier to seek acquaintanceship from the mafia down here for added immunity."   
Alastor continued, keeping his voice down a little in case anyone could overhear them; which was the last thing they needed right now.

Anthony took a breath and brought a hand up to rub his own neck.  
"I had a feelin'. I knew he had ties with families, I just didn't think we'd run into any of 'em."  
He sighed, looking out over the water.  
"When y' get the time, I need ya t' write down everythin' they said. I mean _everythin'_."  
The Italian then paused and closed his eyes.  
"Pops might not like the fact we killed someone of another family..."

Alastor slowly nodded, lips pursing together.   
"He doesn't have to know."   
He spoke eventually, glancing at Anthony.   
"I'm sure this can be easily sorted and the mafia family down here won't be able to track that man's death to us, hm?"

"Well, since y' said the name over the phone last night they might come question us a bit if the operator was listenin'. Obviously we could just say we bumped into him before dinner and had a bit of a scramble. That way we ain't gunna be listed as the last people t' see the guy."  
The blonde replied with a bit of a sigh.

Alastor thought about Anthony's words, slowly nodding and mentally scolding himself for saying the man's name over the phone. It was an amateur move.   
"You're right. If it comes to that, then we will say that we never even knew the man, simply encountered him briefly before dinner, as you said."

"I'll stick t' not knowin' what was bein' said 'cause it was in French. I bumped into him while walking, his feathers got ruffled, the two of ya had a few words, we continued on our way. Deal?"  
Anthony wasn't at all mad about the situation. He was just glad Alastor got to let off some steam.   
"And the fact I didn't use your actual name durin' our call last night, they won't be able t' tell who y' were. So I'm pretty sure we're in the clear."

It wasn't a perfect plan, but it would have to do.   
"Deal."   
Alastor nodded again.   
"I'm sure all will be alright. No one knows it was us, and I didn't even call you on a phone that was mine. The restaurant is our alibi."   
It was going to be a long shot if anyone suspected them, but Alastor knew it would work.

Anthony gave a nod and pulled his cigarette box from his pocket, taking one and putting it between his teeth before offering the taller man one.  
"Shoulda thought it out a little better, but, can't always be perfect. Next time if y' call, just tell me a time and place t' meet up and I'll be there. If I don't pick up, just tell reception t' take the message and they'll tell me when I'm around."

Alastor took a cigarette as it was offered to him, giving Anthony a slight salute along with a grin.   
"You got it, boss."   
He chuckled, mirroring what Anthony had said to him over the phone last night.

Anthony couldn't keep the smile from appearing on his face, his cheeks heating up a bit with a bit of a chuckle, looking out at the water again for a moment and then his watch.  
"Well, y' better get t' work. I got a letter t' write. Are we gunna meet again t'night?"  
He asked after a moment, looking to Alastor again.

Time was getting on, so Alastor supposed he should be off to work, not wanting to be late for opening.   
"Yes, we can meet tonight. Usual time, usual place."   
He nodded, lighting up his cigarette as he stopped in his tracks, not wanting to walk any further since the shop was in the opposite direction from there.

"Alright. See ya in an hour or so."  
Anthony smiled a bit, watching the taller man with a raised brow before heading off to nowhere in particular.


	15. Chapter 15

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Wednesday, January 19th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

The next few days passed with... surprisingly no issues. Of course, the papers for two or so days after the death of Mr. Provenzano were all over the story, classing it as a vicious alligator attack which Alastor was just fine with. If the public were told that, then so be it.   
The weekend breezed by into the weekdays once again, and with Mardi Gras gradually getting closer and closer, the city was really starting to get into the mood. There were more and more people out in the evenings, which for Anthony and Alastor, wasn't exactly great. Not at least when they were quietly observing Lawrence Batallier.

Wednesday the nineteenth of January soon hit and time was getting on. Alastor had gone to work as usual that morning with the plans to meet Anthony in the evening, however, their plans that evening were slightly different than usual. They weren't going to watch Batallier from across a park. They were going to go to the very hospital he funded, a specific goal in mind.

Anthony hadn't told Alastor about what they had to do yet and as they stood outside at a bit of a distance, the Italian looked at the taller man.

"Alright. So, dad says I gotta go in and see if there's anythin' in Batallier's office. He didn't say how though."  
He began, taking a drag of a cigarette.

Alastor, ironically, didn't like hospitals too much; but, since this was a job that had to be done, he had to suck it up and go in.   
"His office will be on the top floor."

"First I guess we wait until we see him leave. Y' got your knife on ya?"  
The blonde asked.

Alastor gave a nod, patting his pocket.   
"Always."

The butcher wasn't sure what they'd be able to find in Batallier's office in the hospital, but if Anthony's father had requested his son take a look, then Alastor knew Anthony was going to do just that.   
"He's most definitely in the building right now, but it's a question of whether he's in his office or not."

"We wait 'till he leaves, then I need ya t' take the knife and cut me deep enough that I need stitches. That'll give us an excuse t' go in. Once I'm all patched up, we find our way up. I'll be able to pick the lock. No more than an hour. Then we continue our evenin' as usual."  
Anthony explained as he looked towards the building and then to Alastor. He knew it wasn't the greatest plan, but it was the best he could come up with without breaking a bone or something more severe.

Looking down at the Italian, Alastor shot him a look of confusion before slowly nodding.   
"While yes, I can certainly injure you so badly that you will require stitches, I also do not think that sustaining an injury at a time like this is... smart. It will take a while to fully heal, and you _are_ here on a job. Being injured is hardly ideal."   
He voiced his concerns, of course, none of them having anything to do with actually harming Anthony- that was the easy part.

Anthony's brows furrowed a bit.  
"Smiles, it's an occupational hazard. Y' ain't goin' t' town and stabbin' the hell outta me. It's just a cut here."  
He said as he pointed to his left bicep.  
"Ain't my shootin' arm or nothin'. Y' want me t' fall outta some tree and break my leg instead? I could do it myself if y' want; and unless y' got a better idea, shaddup and do as your told. This is my job and I'm gunna do whatever I gotta do t' get it done without any holdups."

Alastor raised his chin a little, eyes narrowing as he listened to what Anthony had to say.   
"Hm, you're quite authoritative when you want to be, aren't you?"   
He began, with a smirk.   
"Good."   
Reaching into his pocket, Alastor quickly pulled out his knife, giving it a twirl.   
"Come on then, pass me your arm. I will _try_ not to hit a vein."

Anthony rolled his eyes.  
"Not yet. Gotta wait 'till we know he's gone."  
He said as he looked back to the hospital. 

Alastor hummed, smirk still very much present on his face as he ran the knife gently over Anthony's bicep, despite him still having a shirt on. 

Anthony's arm tensed at the feeling of the blade against it, his head snapping in his direction, about to make a threat or some sort of remark but decided against it for now.   
"Sadico..."  
He muttered instead, looking back towards the building and then down at his watch.  
"Any minute now. Your mom ain't workin', is she?"  
He asked as he took the last drag of his cigarette, flicking it away.

Chuckling more to himself than anything, the man swiftly put the knife away again, brows raising at the question.   
"Perhaps. I'm not entirely sure, her schedule is set weekly so she could well be working on one of the wards. Worry not though, if she is working, I highly doubt we will run into her."  
Alastor didn't bother looking back towards the building, knowing that Anthony had it covered.   
"And what will the story be. A rather sharp tree scratched you? Your enormous cat tried to kill you?"   
Alastor asked jokingly.

"My enormous ca- what? Oh. Ha. Funny."  
Anthony was confused at first but remembered his mistake in thinking alligators were smaller than they actually were, retorting with sarcasm.  
"No, if they ask it ain't their business. I've never been to a hospital before but I'm pretty sure they ain't allowed t' pry for answers if no one wants t' give 'em; but if they can, they ain't gettin' nothin' outta me."  
He stated, putting his hands in his pockets, glancing back at Alastor.

"Do me a favor though. M-"  
He stopped, spotting the target leaving the building as soon as he looked back.   
He nudged Alastor's arm.  
"Forget it. Cut me."

Alastor shrugged at that, knowing that _not_ giving a story was probably their best bet.   
As his arm was nudged, he didn't waste a second in pulling out the knife and taking Anthony's bicep in hand.   
"Here's to not slicing one of your crucial veins!"   
With that, Alastor brought the tip of the knife down into the Italian's bicep, creating a deep slice vertically. 

"It's just my arm, Smiles-"  
Anthony's body tensed as the incision was made, his fists clenching as he gritted his teeth with a small groan escaping his throat.

Pulling the blade back again, the butcher wiped it with a handkerchief and placed it back safely in his pocket.   
"Let's go."

Grabbing his arm to hopefully help keep the blood controlled, The blonde finally looked at the red that was now staining his white shirt.  
Taking a few breaths, Anthony waited a few moments.  
"Not yet. Gotta wait so it'll look like I wasn't just waiting around the area."  
He stated, removing his hand for a second.

"Don't go fainting on me, Ragnatela."   
Alastor warned with a smirk, watching as the blood began to pool from the wound, the white shirt becoming red after a few seconds.

"I ain't gunna faint, Levesque. I ain't weak, damn it."  
Anthony groaned, taking a few more breaths.  
"Dio, questo punge come una cagna..."  
Tilting his head back as he focused on his breathing, and put his hand back.   
He'd been cut and even shot before, so he should have remembered what this was going to be like, but this time was different. Almost... pleasant?

Jogging on the spot to keep himself together, Anthony waited a few more seconds before giving a nod and headed for the hospital.  
"Okay, c'mon."

Alastor followed after the other, hands resting behind his back carefully as they stepped into the building.

The blonde had never been in a hospital, as he mentioned before. It was very rare that anyone within a Mafia family would go, so the women, wives, sisters, etcetera would learn how to take care of the injured in the safety of their own homes to avoid authority figures being called to question them.

Looking around for a moment, Anthony noticed this was a small seating area and presumed that beyond the double doors just ahead was where patients would be treated.

Alastor had been here many a time over the years, and every time he walked in, the atmosphere always put him off. He simply stayed silent, letting Anthony handle the situation as he took a backseat.

Walking up to a woman in a white nurses uniform who was looking over a clipboard, Anthony took a deep breath.  
"S'cuse me, ma'am, hate t' trouble ya but uh... kinda need some patchin' up. Mind helpin' me out?"  
He asked, keeping his tone as calm, cool, and casual as he could.

The woman in the uniform was rather young, but seemed to know what she was doing as she took one look at Anthony's bleeding arm.   
"Oh my, don't y' worry sir, I'll have that patched up in no time at all."   
She spoke with a southern accent, passing off the clipboard to another nurse with a quick exchange of words before ushering Anthony through the doors past the waiting room, Alastor trailing behind.

"Mind tellin' me what happened? I'll need to know so I can treat it accordingly."   
She spoke, winding around a corner and pulling Anthony into another corridor where different bays were set up with curtains around each one.   
"Can you wait over there for your friend? Won't be a couple of minutes."   
She then looked to Alastor who in turn nodded, walking away from the situation to another row of seats.

Anthony gave her a bit of a sheepish smile, keeping a relaxed and laid back exterior.  
"Ah, I'm pretty clumsy, ma'am. Details ain't real important."  
He replied, glancing back at Alastor, his smile still there, as were the dimples, but his jaw was clenched and tense as he let himself be lead wherever she was taking him.

Closing the curtain for one of the bays, the nurse got Anthony to sit down while she gathered a few supplies.   
"Well sir, I'm afraid I'm going to have to know some details. Did you fall? Get scratched? Cut?"   
She trailed off, gathering some gauze, something to clean the wound as well as a needle and medical thread.   
"If you could remove your shirt please."

Anthony had to bite back a snide reply, remembering a rule he was taught and keeping it in effect. Treat others, _especially_ women, with the respect you expect to be given whether they know of your ties or occupation or not. This woman was just trying to do her job.

"Just a cut."  
He stated simply, slowly removing his hand from the wound and then began undoing the buttons of his shirt, carefully peeling the blood-soaked fabric off of his body and balled it up to press it against the open flesh.

Clearly sensing that this man didn't want to talk about whatever had happened, the nurse simply nodded, gathering everything she needed and sat opposite Anthony.   
"It won't take me long to stitch it up, it looks awfully deep whatever inflicted it."   
She smiled, grabbing a sterile cloth to wipe the blood away.

Anthony tilted his chin up, keeping his eyes on the ceiling as he tried not to think about the pain or of Alastor. If the man were within view, he would definitely be focusing on him to distract himself from whatever he was feeling; or maybe that would just make it worse?

"Ha, yeah. It ain't a big deal, don't worry 'bout it, doll."  
He huffed, keeping himself still so she could work.

The nurse was relatively quick with her work, soon working on stitching up the deep wound, being as careful as she could.   
Finally, after around ten minutes or so, she had finished.   
"There you are sir, all patched up."   
Standing, she washed her hands in the small sink before moving over to the curtain and opening it for Anthony.   
"Be sure to clean it twice daily until it shows signs of healing. Call your doctor if it gets worse or come back here. A week and a half to two weeks, come back or see your doctor about gettin' those out."

Anthony stood and gave a nod.  
"Thanks for your help, doll. I won't trouble ya again, don't worry."  
He smiled a bit, simply draping his shirt over his shoulders for the time being as he washed his own hands. He would have to go get a new one seeing as this one was pretty much trashed.

He made his way back to Alastor.  
"Just gunna pay for this and then we can split."  
He stated with a bit of a wink but as he was about to walk elsewhere, he realized he didn't know where he was supposed to go.  
"Erm... where's reception?"

Alastor stood as soon as he saw Anthony making his way towards him, the man glancing down at his arm with a raised brow, noticing that his shirt wasn't on correctly.  
"This way."   
He nodded, turning on his heels and going back the way that the nurse had lead them to begin with.  
"Will you need another shirt? That one over your shoulders certainly isn't suitable anymore."   
Alastor soon asked, opening the doors to the main reception for Anthony to go through.

Giving a quick shrug, Anthony pulled his wallet from his pocket.  
"No, I thought I'd just walk around without a shirt on. All-natural, y' know?"  
He said with playful sarcasm before turning his attention to the nurse at the desk.  
"Just some stitches."  
He stated and was handed a slip of paper that had the total on it. Money was of no issue to Anthony nor his family, so he paid the total upfront, signed the slip and handed it back to the nurse before turning back to Alastor.  
"Just gunna use the washroom real quick and then we can get a move on."  
He said as he was, once again, about to head off someplace but wasn't sure where he was going.  
"Where's it at again?"  
He asked with a bit of an embarrassed smile.

Standing back as the blonde paid for the treatment of his injuries, Alastor pointed to the left at another corridor that went off from the reception once Anthony asked where the washroom was, and conveniently the stairs that lead up through the building.   
"I shall wait outside for you Anthony."   
Alastor responded, walking away from the other and towards the entrance.

Anthony gave a nod, going to use this to his advantage. Going alone just meant less suspicious bodies around and he could keep his focus on his task without having to worry about getting sidetracked.  
"Shouldn't be too long. If I'm more than five minutes, come lookin'."  
He stated as he headed off towards where Alastor pointed to.

Once he knew he wasn't able to be seen by the receptionist, Anthony started running down the hall, following the signs to the staircases and started making his way up to the top floor where he was told Batallier's office would be. The building was only three stories tall, so there weren't many flights to run up. He was still a bit woozy from the blood loss, but that was going to be fixed soon. Once he got this done, he was going to get something to eat to help replenish.

Making it to the top floor, the blonde slowed himself down as not to raise suspicion to anyone that might be on that floor. Looking around a bit, he navigated his way to the office space he was looking for. Pulling his wallet out of his pocket again, he pulled out a collapsible lockpick and got to work; inserting the pick into the keyhole, carefully maneuvering the tool around until he heard the click and then opened the door, removing the tool for now.  
Shutting the door behind him, he quickly walked to the desk and carefully started going through the drawers. It was as he came to the final drawer at the very bottom that he found what he was looking for.   
Documents and numbers of the sales the target made for every kind of contraband he dealt with. Every kind of alcohol and every kind of drug, where he operated, distributed and the amount he gained from each city and state. Of course, Anthony knew he couldn't take any of this with him or touch it much, but he made sure to absorb as much information as he could. He wouldn't dare lie to his father about any of this and his father knew that too; or, at least he liked to think he did.

Alastor was more on the lookout than anything, standing outside the entrance of the hospital, finishing off a cigarette. Five minutes quickly passed by so Alastor figured he'd go back in to check up on Anthony, see if he'd found anything.

Flicking the cigarette away, Alastor was walking through the hospital doors once again, turning left through the doors that Anthony had gone through and immediately up a staircase that he knew went all the way to the top third floor where Batallier's office was.

Quickly wrapping it up, Anthony made sure to leave the room just as he left it, locked the door behind him, and ran back down the stairs, but halfway down, he nearly ran into Alastor.

He only managed to get up two flights of stairs though before the sound of quickened footsteps above him made him pause, Anthony quickly rounding the corner and almost bumping into him.   
"Careful there Anthony."   
He spoke, holding his hands up and turning around on the stairs. 

"C'mon!"  
The blonde exclaimed as he grabbed the taller man's arm, pulling him along.

"Did you find much?"  
The butcher asked as he was pulled along.

"A lot actually, but we gotta go. I gotta get somethin' t' eat and a new shirt."  
Anthony replied, pulling the taller man back down. He was pretty weak compared to how he usually was. His arm still hurt a lot and the blood loss didn't help that either.

Letting himself be pulled a little down the stairs, Alastor nodded.   
"Ah yes. Well, I know a perfect department store on the main street and we can perhaps get a bite somewhere close too."   
He smiled, glancing Anthony up and down for a second.

"Perhaps in the meantime, you should wear this. It may be warm out, but I can't imagine anyone would be too happy with you going around like that."   
Pausing once they got to the foot of the stairs, Alastor undid the buttons of his jacket before handing it over to the shorter man, taking the bloodied shirt from off his shoulders.   
"Perhaps a jacket with nothing underneath will become a trend. You never know, haha!"

Anthony stopped in his tracks and looked up at Alastor with a raised brow as his shirt was taken and given the coat. Blinking a few times, he looked at it and then up at Alastor again.   
"I... erm- thanks, I guess?"  
He wasn't sure what to say about this but carefully put it on anyway. The sleeves were a little too long, covering his hands and stopped at this mid-upper thigh. Not to mention it smelled heavily of Alastor; a scent that he welcomed to fill his senses, but not being obvious about it.   
It was going to be really warm but he wasn't going to mind.

Alastor thought nothing of the gesture, simply continuing on with walking, Anthony's bloody shirt in hand.   
"Now, I suppose we shall eat somewhere relatively close since I understand you've lost a fair amount of blood and need to rest."   
He nodded as they eventually exited the hospital, it still being relatively light outside.

Anthony gave a nod to the nurse at reception as they left, closing his eyes as they stepped outside. He gained a lot of information just now and needed to write everything he could remember down. This was likely enough to get the target killed and that's all Anthony could ask for. He missed home and his sister, not to mention Alastor's mother would be safe.

"The Hotel ain't far from here. Let's just stop for somethin' t' eat and then head there so I can change and grab a few things. Then we can continue as we always do."  
He said as he opened his eyes and began to walk with the butcher.   
"Won't need t' rest for long."

Nodding, Alastor began to lead them in the direction of a small restaurant he knew they could quickly stop at and grab something small before continuing on their way.   
"Oh, do be careful with that jacket, my knife is in the pocket. Wouldn't want you injuring yourself even more now, would we?"   
He chuckled, glancing down at Anthony as they turned a street corner, the place he had in mind just up ahead.

Anthony's brows furrowed, looking up at the man then held up his hands that were covered by the sleeves.  
"I don't think I'll be able t' get into the pockets like this, Smiles."  
He retorted, putting his hands down again at his sides.

Alastor couldn't help but laugh a little more at that, noticing just how large the jacket was on Anthony, the coat itself much too large.   
"Haha, it _does_ look quite funny, doesn't it."   
He smiled, the two of them coming to a stop outside of a small store that had a tiny seating area outside the front, a few people already sitting down at the tables.

Anthony rolled his eyes a bit and looked at where they were then gestured to the place.  
"This is it?"  
He asked as he made his way to one of the chairs outside and sat down, assuming they wouldn't appreciate his attire inside very much. He then moved the sleeves of the coat up a bit to expose his hands, now rubbing his face. He didn't have time to rest or feel fatigued. There were still important things to do.

Alastor nodded, watching as Anthony took a seat.   
"I shall order something for you if you wish."   
He started, moving towards the door of the small establishment.   
"Is there anything in particular you'd like?"

Anthony pinched the bridge of his nose.  
"Surprise me, but get me somethin' sugary t' drink, wouldja? It'll help me out."  
He replied, glancing up at Alastor with a tired smile.

Alastor went into the store and within a few minutes was out, a few things in hand including two sodas- sugary as requested.   
He sat down opposite Anthony and passed over his food and drink, taking note of how tired he looked.   
"We don't have to continue to watch him after this. You should rest."   
Alastor eventually spoke.

Anthony sat up a bit and didn't waste a second to dive into the food Alastor had gotten. It didn't matter _what_ it was.  
"I'll be fine, Smiles. This'll help."  
He replied as he tapped the bottle of soda.  
"Besides, got a lotta information that could easily be the end of the road of our adventure."  
He added, taking his soda bottle. He didn't have a bottle opener on him so he bit the cap with his molars, pulling it off that way. Taking the cap out of his teeth, the blonde took the first sip.

Alastor raised a brow, watching in disbelief as Anthony _bit_ the cap of the cola bottle off.   
"Alright then."   
He smiled, grabbing his bottle and simply using the edge of the table to pop the cap off the bottle, taking a sip afterward.   
"Perhaps we should have checked in Batallier's office _first_ , instead of chasing him around the city for the past couple of weeks."

"That's what I thought!"  
Anthony's brows raised and waved his hands.  
"But no, it was always 'Tony, stick to the plan', 'Tony, don't be stupid' and 'Tony, you don't know what you're talkin' about'."  
He said as he folded his arms over his chest, lowered his chin, knitted his brows together and deepened his voice to imitate his father. 

Alastor did chuckle a little at that, taking a bite of his food. Without even having met Anthony's father, he could already imagine what he was like, given Anthony's top-notch acting skills and stories he'd told. 

The Italian then straightened himself out and sighed.  
"Once this last letter gets home in two weeks, we should be golden."

"Two weeks, yes? Hm, that's a shame. It seems you'll be home before Mardi Gras."  
  


Anthony's heart sank a little at hearing that. He really wanted to see what that was like seeing as he didn't really partake in any of the New Years festivities.  
He gave a small hum and a nod before continuing with his meal. It was already helping a lot so by the time they had finished, Anthony was back to his usual self with a little more energy than what he started out with.

Making it back to the hotel, Anthony took the large coat off and set it on one of the chairs in the room, then carefully put a new shirt on as not to disturb the stitches, then grabbed his notebook and a pen.

As Anthony changed into a new shirt, Alastor stood by the front wall of the hotel room, simply watching out the window, despite it being rather dark now; but if they were going to be observing Batallier, then that was good.

"I can't imagine we'll find much with Batallier this evening. Unless he is meeting with another strange man again, however, I doubt it after what happened to the last one."   
He chuckled slightly, turning around to face Anthony once he was dressed.   
"I suppose we should get going then. He'll be making his way to the park soon."

Doing up the buttons of his shirt and tucking it into his pants, Anthony nodded and patted himself down to make sure he had everything.  
"Right. I'm ready t' go. Better hurry."  
He stated as he made his way over, opened the door and stepped out.

Fixing his waistcoat a little, Alastor nodded, following Anthony over to the door and out into the hallway. There was someone walking past as they both left the room, Alastor giving the woman a nod of acknowledgment.   
It might have looked strange, two men exiting a hotel room together, but to be quite frank it was no one else's business what Alastor was in that room for.

Anthony watched as the woman walked past with narrowed eyes as he locked the door. He figured that was the better option other than freezing on the spot and looking weirder about it.

"I doubt we'll be out long. Batallier is usually prompt with his park walks."  
The taller man stated once the woman was out of sight.

Looking up at Alastor once the woman was out of sight, he nodded and started down the hallway.   
"I know, hopefully we'll be quick. I wanna get this letter done and sent off."  
His birthday was coming up in two weeks and kind of wanted to be home for that. At the same time, he had a feeling he wouldn't be since it took around two weeks for a letter to travel. 

"Ain't Mardi Gras on the eighth? That's what y' said b'fore, right?"  
He asked as the thought came to mind.

Alastor hummed in thought quickly before nodding.   
"Hm, yes that is correct. The eighth it is."   
He was really looking forward to it this year. Every year was more of a joy than the last, and his mother loved it too.

Anthony could feel his heart lift again, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth as they found themselves outside now.  
"I'll be here for it then."  
He stated, putting his hands in his pockets. It was taking a lot for him not to outright jump for joy at the news.

Alastor's grin seemed to grow a little more at that as they stepped outside, the man raising a brow.   
"Oh you will? Why, that's excellent news my friend!"   
He exclaimed, the two of them heading in the direction of the park now.   
"But your birthday is the day after, is it not? Will that mean you won't be home to see your sister for it?"

"I- ...no, I ain't gunna be home in time for that. But that's alright. It's just this one year. We'll have every other for the rest of our lives t' celebrate on time."  
Anthony shrugged. He did feel a little bad that he would be home for their special eighteenth birthday, but this was a once in a lifetime thing he was taking part in. He just wished Molly could have been here too. He knew she would have loved it just as much as he did.

Once at the park, Anthony looked around as he pulled out a cigarette from his case and lit it, offering Alastor one too, checking his watch.  
"He should be here by now."  
He muttered, seeing no sign of the target.

Taking the offered cigarette and lighting it quickly, Alastor looked up and down the park, there only being one or two people around- neither of them Batallier.   
"Yes, he should. Perhaps he's late for once?"   
Alastor suggested, continuing to look around for a little longer. 

Five minutes passed and still no sign of him.

Anthony scratched the back of his head with a bit of a sigh, moving over to the park bench under the street lamp. If Batallier wasn't going to show up, he might as well start writing.   
"Y' don't have t' stick around if y' got other things t' do, Smiles. Don't think he's showin' up."  
He said as he got his notebook out and opened to a fresh page.

Taking a seat down beside the blonde on the bench, Alastor shook his head, looking down at the other's notebook.   
"It's quite alright. My evening wouldn't be otherwise very productive; and you never know, Lawrence could simply be very late."

Anthony glanced to Alastor for a moment and then down at the paper. He began writing anything he could remember from the documents.  
"So, what should I expect when Mardi Gras comes around? Is there anywhere in particular I should go to?"  
He asked, figuring they could use this time to chat a little.

Alastor's smile grew a little at that, crossing a leg.   
"What should you expect?"   
He repeated with a small laugh.   
"Go everywhere. Expect everything. I can guarantee it's like nothing you would have ever seen before."   
The butcher responded with a smile, glancing up at the sky for a moment or two.   
"I certainly am glad that you will be able to attend before going back home again."

Anthony smiled as well, the dents in his cheeks making little shadows from the overhead light.  
"Me too. Don't think I'll ever be able t' see anythin' outside of New York again after this, so I'm really glad things worked out this way."  
He replied, glancing up at the sky as well for a moment before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

Looking across at Anthony now, Alastor huffed a small laugh as he spotted those dimples once again.   
"You know, when we first met you were awfully grumpy. Not a smile on your face!"   
The man exclaimed, glancing down to the ground now.   
"But when you do smile, those dimples of yours really do show, and I will admit, I've never seen dimples quite like those before."

Anthony's smile dropped a tad, looking away.  
"I wasn't grumpy. I was tired. And I don't smile much either way."  
He explained, eyes on the ground in front of him as well.  
"There's a lot I hide. A lotta secrets that even my sister doesn't know. You know a few of those things, actually."  
He added with a sniff, taking a drag of his cigarette as he leaned back into the bench.

Alastor raised a brow at that, remembering back to their conversation about the secrets they held.   
"Well... how about you tell me something about yourself then? Kill a bit of time, won't it?"

Anthony's leg began to bounce rapidly as he tried to think of something he could say that wasn't overly personal.  
He then decided to give him a tidbit of information about his physical appearance that was more or less hidden in plain sight.  
"My birthmark is in my eye."

Alastor had to admit, he hadn't been expecting that. Quickly turning himself, he squinted as he tried to look for it from the distance he was at, shaking his head.   
"No way. A birthmark? Which eye? I don't think this light is helping much."

Anthony sighed, turning himself to properly face the other.  
"In this one. There's a little brownish-orange spot in the green part."  
He confirmed, pointing to his left eye and looked up so the light would properly hit it.  
"Just look."

Leaning in a little, Alastor shook his head, quickly reeling back and grabbing the box of matches from his pants pocket. Striking a match until it was lit, Alastor held it carefully up to the side of Anthony's face, slowly leaning in with a focused gaze, eyes narrowed as he looked for this brownish-orange speck amongst Anthony's deep green eyes.

The blonde's breath ceased to exist as the taller man leaned closer, keeping his eyes focused on Alastor's chocolate brown pools as they scanned his iris. He wasn't expecting him to actually lean in and actively seek it out. Not that it wasn't true, but because it was such a small detail that he didn't find interesting enough for such action.

The dim orange light of the match was warm against Alastor's face as he leaned in to look for this so-called birthmark. And eventually, he spotted it. It was fascinating.   
"I see it..."

He could feel the heat of his breath.   
He could feel the intensity in his stare.  
He could feel his chest tightening and his heart screaming.   
He could _feel_.  
The objects that Anthony held in his hands were suddenly dropped, the sound faint to him as his focus was only on Alastor and nothing else. His now empty hands slowly moved up to eventually cup the man's cheeks. These moments felt like an eternity as everything around them seemed to freeze in time.  
He had no control over himself. They were _so close_.  
His body reacted automatically without warning as he started to lean in, his lips parting ever so slowly as they gingerly grazed against Alastor's. The Italian's eyes closing slowly as their lips finally came together in an almost carefully calculated kiss.

Alastor felt it within his chest, his very heart skipping a beat, his breathing becoming hesitant before suddenly stopping altogether as he felt warm yet soft lips upon his own, Anthony's head tilting slightly.

The match in his hand may have been slowly burning away, but at that moment the only thing Alastor could feel was Anthony's lips upon his own.   
The strangest part, the _one thing_ that Alastor would have called completely _absurd_ , was the fact that he _let_ it happen.  
Alastor's hand slowly moved up to very hesitantly rest upon Anthony's cheek, treating the other as if he were glass, his touch barely there as his own head tilted in the opposite direction of the blonde's, the sight of Anthony soon fading to black as Alastor's eyes closed and he simply let himself be in the moment and feel everything.

If it hadn't have been for the heat of the match burning at his fingertips, then Alastor wasn't sure _what_ might have happened.   
Hastily pulling back, eyes flying open, Alastor's breath hitched as he quickly waved the match out, leaving both of them in the natural darkness under the light of the streetlamp.

Anthony's eyes shot open as Alastor jolted back, bringing his hands away from the man's face and kept them in the air in a surrendering stance.

Why did he let himself do that?  
Why wasn't he able to control himself?  
He couldn't believe the weakness he had just presented.  
Now Alastor knew the one secret he was still trying to hide even from himself.  
What was he supposed to say?

"Ah... I-I think it's time for me t' go."  
He stated in a quiet voice as he quickly leaned down and picked up his notebook, pen, and cigarette, putting it between his lips and stood, pacing away from Alastor as quickly as he could without actually running.

Alastor simply sat there almost stunned, the slowly subsiding pain of having the tips of his fingertips burnt; nothing compared to what he was feeling right now.   
"Right..."   
He muttered to himself, slowly standing up from the bench and looking around before simply walking away in the opposite direction.

Home seemed like a nice option right now. None of this had completely hit him yet, but at least if he was alone when it _did_ hit, then he wouldn't be doing anything drastic.

Now that his mind was working, Anthony began to feel the fear creep up on him. He just _kissed_ _another man_ ; and that man... returned the gesture?  
The man didn't pull away. The man actually held him and almost welcomed it. Why?

By this time, Anthony was a few blocks from the park and couldn't turn around and question Alastor. He probably ran in the opposite direction, now that he thought about it.

Anthony slowly came to a stop on the sidewalk, tears threatening his eyes. His fear had caught up to him as more questions piled into his mind.   
His knees weakened to the point they gave out and he dropped, kneeling on the side of the street. The cigarette that sat loosely between his lips fell to the ground.   
He stayed there for a few moments before finally getting up and running the rest of the way to the hotel, not stopping for anything.

Once he got to his room, Anthony shut and locked his door, putting his back to it and slowly sunk down to the floor as he grabbed handfuls of his blonde locks.   
There was no use in fighting the tears anymore. He finally began to breathe again but it was choppy and shaky, his shoulders shaking as he put his forehead down on his knees, pulling his hair down to make sure his face was covered as the tears burst free.  
He couldn't remember the last time he cried. It had been a long time, that was certain.  
What was he supposed to think now? What was he supposed to do? So many questions!

Finally opening his eyes, he lifted his head and combed his fingers through his hair so it was all out of his face again, blinking the tears away as best as he could. His gaze landed on the coat that hung off of the chair.   
Alastor's coat. He forgot to take it with him.

Anthony promptly stood from his spot against the door and marched over to the piece of clothing, picked it up and walked over to the window. He then opened it and was about to throw the article out onto the street but something dropped from the pocket, causing him to stop and slowly lower his arm, turning his head to look at what had fallen.  
Alastor's knife sat on the floor just behind him.

Slowly turning, the blonde knelt to the object and picked it up carefully as if it would break and then looked at the coat for a moment before gently wrapping it around himself, his tears flowing once again as he felt the embrace of the fabric that smelled of the man that had been plaguing his mind and heart.

Walking over to the bed now, Anthony kicked his shows off and laid down on his right side so the stitches wouldn't be disturbed, and simply hugged himself with the coat still on his shoulders, holding one of the sleeves under his nose so the scent would comfort him.  
This worked so well that he ended up falling asleep like this, the light of the room still on and window still open, tears staining his cheeks.

Everything hit Alastor all at once- right as the streetcar stopped at its usual place in the Bywater neighborhood.   
He slowly stepped off the transportation, yet didn't move, hearing the doors of the car closing behind him and soon after the car itself moving on.   
But still, Alastor was stood there frozen. His mind was like static, all fuzzy, everything that had just happened unclear to him.

Alastor had always been one to play mind games with people, but when it came to matters of the heart, it seemed that he was much less entertained by it all. Whether that was down to inexperience or simply his odd personality, he didn't know; but one thing was for sure, this wasn't a mind game, because his _heart_ was hurting.

The walk back to his home was slow and when he arrived, the walk up the stairs to his room was even slower. His mother called out his name, but he didn't listen. When he got his room, he closed the door and simply lay down in bed, eyes fixating on a spot on the ceiling and focusing. For a _long_ time.

Amélie was puzzled by the lack of response from her son. She was in the middle of some baking, having gotten some apples that day, so she decided to wait to see if Alastor was just going up to change.   
Once she put the pie she was making in the oven to bake, she gathered her skirt and went right upstairs and knocked upon Alastor's bedroom door.

"Alastor? My dear, is everything alright?"  
She asked, concern laced in her words. She _never_ went into her son's bedroom unless he was at work on a Monday and she needed his laundry, so she waited outside of his door for any sort of response. Even just a faint noise.

Alastor hadn't moved by the time Amélie knocked on the door. Not wanting to worry her, Alastor gave her a response.   
"Yes, mother."   
He replied rather distantly, slowly blinking, eventually closing his eyes altogether.

The way he'd _kissed back_ was something that was still processing in Alastor's mind- and it was completely foreign by all means. It bothered him, of course it did, because Anthony was another man; and because Alastor was now extremely conflicted.

Amélie gave a small sigh and decided it best not to pry. Alastor was never the kind to express his thoughts and emotions even from a very young age and no matter how much she pushed, she knew he wouldn't open up to her.

"Very well. I have a pie in the oven. I'll bring you a slice later if you'd like."  
She stated before making her way back down to the main floor to do a bit of reading while the pie baked.

Food was certainly the last thing on his mind right now, despite how hard he knew his mother would have worked.  
With his eyes closed, Alastor sighed, bringing his forearm up to rest over his eyes, deciding to try and rest for a bit. His head was already throbbing from all of this.

Barely ten minutes passed before Alastor was up on his feet, striding over to his desk and sitting down. Pulling out a notebook and a pen, he began to write.

As Alastor wrote, time went by and Amélie returned with a plate, gently knocking on the door after making sure her son was still awake. She saw the light from under the door and heard a page turn, an indication that he wasn't asleep.

"Alastor? May I come in?"  
She asked.

Alastor had written... _a lot_ in that amount of time. With his head resting in one palm, his other hand wrote away until eventually there was another knock at his door.   
"Come in."   
He spoke curtly, not looking up from the paper as he continued, flicking over a page.

Amélie gave a nod and opened the door, seeing Alastor hard at work. She slowly approached and placed a hand on his shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze as the other set the plate of pie down on the desk.  
"You're awfully quiet this evening."  
She stated in a soft voice, watching him write for a few moments before looking at the man himself again.   
She never wanted to invade his personal space so she never looked through his things.

After a few moments, Alastor slowly put his pen down with a small sigh, eyes closing.   
"Thank you, mama."   
He muttered, raising his hand to rest upon his mother's that was on his shoulder.   
He knew very well that his mother didn't want to invade his personal space and he supposed he could only be thankful for that. There were some things about him that if she ever found out, they would absolutely break her heart no doubt, and it seemed that the events of that evening only added to that long list.

"It's late, so I'm off to bed. I work in the afternoon so I won't be home until late."  
Amélie explained, placing a kiss to the crown of her son's head.

"I shall see you in the morning. Sleep well."

Giving Alastor a small pat on the shoulder, Amélie left the room and closed the door behind her, leaving him the slice of fresh pie.  
She was worried about her son, acting rather strangely that evening, but she knew he was able to sort things out on his own and that he knew she was there if he needed help with something.


	16. Chapter 16

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Thursday, January 20th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

When Anthony woke up the next morning, he felt like he was being hugged. It took him a few moments to realize he was still wrapped up in the coat, the scent still filling his nostrils. 

It brought him an odd sense of comfort, really, but it also reminded him of the mistake he made the night before.

He brought his fingers up to graze his lips as he remembered the softness that was displayed on Alastor's part. Then touched the spot on his cheek that the man carefully held. It brought tears to his eyes again just thinking about the fact that it _happened_.

Getting up, the blonde got himself ready for the day and made sure to bring the coat and knife with him as he left the hotel, heading for the butcher shop to return the items.

Upon arriving, Anthony found out that Alastor wasn't in. He wasn't sure why; he worked every other day he decided to show his face. He didn't bother asking if it was his day off or if he was at home sick, just going back to the hotel to ponder.  
Was Alastor really _that_ affected by what happened?  
What a stupid question. Of course he was. They both were. He didn't know if it was positive or negative only because he didn't know what it meant on Alastor's part.

The next morning was a huge relief to Alastor in contrast to Anthony's morning. As strange and tiring the night before had been, a day off was exactly what he needed. It was simply a coincidence that the day he'd asked off happened to be the day after things had happened with his Italian associate.

It was in a tweed suit and a flat cap that Alastor left his home early that morning, shotgun in hand. Hunting had _always_ been another hobby of his, the man had been practicing and watching the sport since he was very young. It was an enjoyable escape that neither writing nor taking the life of another human could be.

Close to the bayou, near where his remote shed was located, was an even denser forest of trees, the terrain steeper and rockier than that of the riverside. It was a perfect place to hunt not only rabbits but Alastor's favorite catch too. Deer.  
The day of hunting was spent very well, the man coming back with a fair few animals that could be used for meals for the next few days.

Anthony spent his day in his room, trying to keep himself focused on writing the letter to his father. Somehow he managed to complete it and get it sent off. The rest of the day, however, he remained in his room, wrapped up in Alastor's coat while he could get away with it, thinking and trying to reason with himself.

The following day, however, Anthony went to the shop again to see if Alastor was back and see if things would be weird between them. He honestly just wanted to move past it and continue as they were. He was willing to accept the fact that he wouldn't be able to find someone like him no matter how badly he wanted more of it now that he had a taste.

With the distraction of life, Alastor actually hadn't thought much about Anthony, and when the other did cross his mind? Alastor was able to quickly push any of those thoughts back and far away.

He didn't know why he didn't factor in Anthony visiting the butcher's, but as Alastor spotted the blonde walking past the window of the store, he froze.   
There was another employee at the store currently, so Alastor supposed he was saved mainly from any conversation relating what had happened between the two of them, but that didn't mean it wasn't going to be awkward.

As soon as the little silver bell rang when the door opened, Anthony looked into the shop and immediately spotted Alastor looking right at him. He paused and slowly closed the door behind him before approaching the counter with a timorous smile, coat draped over his arm.

Alastor could only stare at Anthony as he walked forwards, both gaze and smile unfaltering. It may have been quite unsettling, but Alastor too was fairly uncomfortable about this awkward situation.

"Uh... j-just droppin' this off t' ya... left it b'hind yesterday."  
He stated in a softer, more cautious sounding voice once he'd found the words and hesitantly held out the piece of clothing; his eyes seemed to be everywhere but on the man in front of him.

"Ah. Thank you." 

The butcher nodded, slowly taking the jacket back and holding it in his arms.  
About to turn around, he suddenly paused, glancing back at Anthony.   
"I presume the other item is in the pocket?"   
Alastor quickly asked, not wanting to say anything out loud about the knife he'd noticed had been missing from his person ever since he'd lent the jacket to Anthony.

The blonde nodded.  
"Everythin' is as it was."  
He stated, his eyes settling on Alastor for a moment before they moved back to something he looked at before when he first arrived in the city.   
Moving over to the rack, Anthony picked up a small jar of a spice mixture and set it on the counter.  
"This and the usual sausage."  
He said when Alastor returned from hanging the coat up, his eyes on the counter as he fished his wallet from his pocket.

Alastor slowly observed Anthony as he pointed out one of the small glass jars filled with a mixture of spices, each jar visibly different.   
"I would advise you not to buy those spices."   
He replied rather curtly despite the smile, moving across to gather a sausage from the string that was hanging in the cooler.   
Bagging the sausage up, Alastor didn't bother weighing it, knowing that Anthony knew the price of it already.

Just at that moment, the silver bell above the door of the store rang out, a well dressed elderly woman stepping into the store, one that Alastor knew. Like he was snapped out of a trance, Alastor's eyes and his smile lit up, looking past Anthony at the elderly woman as she closed the door behind her.  
"Mrs. Breaux! A pleasure to see you this fine morning. What can I help you with today? I do have some new spices which are absolutely to _die_ for."

Anthony was about to ask why when the woman interrupted him, looking towards her for a moment before getting the required amount just for the sausage out of his wallet and passed it over the counter, deciding to take his word for it and not purchasing the spice mix.

The woman smiled and spoke to Alastor in French, grabbing one of the same spice jars Anthony had.

The blonde nodded and just took the bagged sausage.  
"See ya."  
He said with a curt nod, leaving without another word. He was curious as to why Alastor didn't want him to have the spices but concluded that he didn't need it yet anyway, having nothing to use it for.

Later that night, Anthony went out to observe Batallier on his own, not expecting Alastor to want to be around him unless he _had_ to be.   
Perched in a tree, he watched as Batallier made his exit. He couldn't bring himself to follow tonight with simply too much on his mind.   
The blonde closed his notebook quietly and put it in his pocket before leaping down from the branch as silently as he could.  
As he turned to head back to the hotel, he came face to face with the man that had been on his mind since the day he'd arrived.

"Buon Dio, ti prego, dammi una pausa..."  
He muttered after his nerves calmed again from the surprise. He didn't know Alastor was anywhere near the area.  
"Um... hey, Smiles. Didn't see ya there."  
Anthony said slowly and quietly.

Alastor's plans initially hadn't been to watch Batallier for anything out of the ordinary that night, but alas, he was drawn to the park anyways.

When he arrived, there was not even any sign of Anthony which was both a relief and a worry since he was usually always here when Batallier was.   
Regardless, Alastor sat out of the way and under a tree, watching from a safe distance as Batallier _finally_ made his appearance.

A few minutes passed and after nothing suspicious had happened on Batallier's part and the man had left, Alastor stood. However, it was as he was brushing himself down that the sight of someone jumping down out of the tree he'd just been under suddenly alarmed him, the man flinching back a little, instinctively going for the knife in his pocket.

But, as the person was revealed, Alastor's hand lowered, the man rolling his eyes slightly.   
"Anthony."   
He nodded.

"What um... what 'cha doin' here? Didn't think I'd be seein' ya t'night."  
The blonde continued, rubbing his neck a bit. He wanted to add on but decided against it, this interaction was awkward enough already.

Alastor's eyes narrowed, the man taking a small step back, sensing the awkward atmosphere between them.   
"I didn't think I'd be seeing you tonight either."   
He replied, chin raising.   
"I was simply doing as you were. Watching Batallier for anything odd."

Anthony gave a nod. He should have known that. Alastor's mother was still in danger because of this man, so of course, he was still going to be after him.  
"Right um..."  
Was he supposed to talk about what had happened or should he not bother mentioning it and move past it?   
"I got that letter sent off yesterday so... two weeks."

Alastor slowly nodded at Anthony's words, glancing off to the side quietly before down at his feet.   
"Yes, well, that's certainly good news."   
He smiled, clearing his throat.   
"Two weeks. Yes."

Anthony took a breath, figuring they might as well at least acknowledge what had happened and get it out of the way, especially if they were to continue targeting the same person and work together.  
"Look, about what happened. I dunno what came over me but whatever it was, well... it was wrong. I mean, _seriously_ wrong, and I'm... sorry."  
He finally said after a few moments of awkward silence that felt like years.

Alastor of course listened to what the blonde had to say, and while his mind still wasn't completely made up about how he felt about what had happened, he nodded anyway.   
"And I apologize too."   
He wasn't sure why _he_ was apologizing, but it simply felt necessary.   
"I understand that the situation was perhaps a difficult one."

Anthony was certainly confused as to why Alastor was apologizing too. He didn't initiate it.   
"Y' ain't responsible for that. But uh... anyways. I wanna make it up t' ya somehow."

Alastor shook his head slightly, smiling a little.   
"Oh Anthony, you really don't have to make anything up to me. It's fine, really. I understand what happened."

"I don't think y' do, Smiles."  
The blonde laughed a bit.  
"It was a serious thing that coulda got us both in a lotta trouble if not killed. Y' know that, right? We were out in the open, Al."  
Anthony's Italian was beginning to come out as he started talking with his hands again; something that seemed to happen when he got worked up; the majority of the time his hands staying either in his pockets or just faintly gesturing.

Alastor gave Anthony a slight look paired with a small eye roll, his smile unfaltering.   
"Yes Anthony, I understand it's wrong and the premise of two men kissing is _awfully_ strange, but it did happen."   
And he wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean either, but he said it anyway.   
"And it _is_ illegal, more so out in the open, but isn't murder as well?"

Anthony blinked a few times before shaking his head.  
"Well, yeah, but it ain't the same thing. It's so different that if my dad caught wind of it, I'd be dead. Bein' a homosexual and makin' hits are two _entirely_ different things t' my family."  
He explained and then looked around to see if anyone was around.  
"This ain't the place t' talk about this, obviously. Just... lemme make it up t' ya. How's about I make you and your Ma dinner sometime? That's really all I think of right now..."  
There wasn't much else he could really do anyway, and it wasn't like the meal was going to be extravagant. He knew how to make some simple things, having been around his sister while she learned how to cook.

Of course, the fact that Anthony was a homosexual wasn't new to Alastor. He'd already uncovered and processed that a while ago now. It was just the fact that he'd _kissed_ him that still bothered him and irked at the back of his mind.   
"Dinner?"   
Alastor repeated, too lost in his thoughts, not having heard Anthony properly.   
"Oh, yes. Of course."   
He nodded slightly, glancing off to the side as he fell silent.   
"But as I said, you do not need to make anything up to me."

Anthony took a breath and nodded.  
"I know. I _want_ to. It wasn't right of me t' expose my illness, let alone drag y' into it too."  
He sighed, keeping his eyes off of Alastor. He couldn't bring himself to look at him. He felt as if he lost that privilege or perhaps didn't deserve it.   
"How's some authentic Italian food sound?"

Fixing his jacket a little around his shoulders, Alastor hesitantly nodded.   
"An illness?"  
He murmured more to himself than anything as Anthony mentioned Italian food, snapping out of his thoughts once again.   
"Yes. Italian sounds wonderful... when?"

"When's your Ma free? I wouldn't want her t' feel left out."  
Anthony replied. He also wanted her there so he and this man wouldn't be left alone just in case he was tempted to let something happen again. Not to mention he thought she was a nice woman and wanted to get to know her a little better before he had to go back to his own motherless life.

Alastor had to think about that for a moment. With his mother's schedule changing weekly, he was never too certain, however, he had heard her mentioning working an early morning shift on the Friday of that week, meaning she'd be most likely free in the evening.   
"Hm, next Friday perhaps? I shall talk to her and see what she says."

"Works for me. Ain't like I got anythin' else goin' on."  
The blonde shrugged with a bit of a half-smile, only one dimple coming clear. He finally glanced up at Alastor's face for the first time since the incident but looked away again, pulling his cigarette box from his pocket.  
"Well uh... if I don't see ya again b'fore then, I'll meet 'cha outside the shop and we can go pick up the ingredients then head over t' your place. Deal?"

Alastor did raise a slight brow at the dimple that shone through but ultimately managed to ignore it, watching as Anthony got out a cigarette.   
"Yes. Sounds like a plan to me. Deal."   
He nodded.   
"I suppose if that is all, then I shall be on my way."

Anthony gave a nod.  
"Alright. I'll be seein' ya."  
He said quietly before lighting the cigarette, walking past the man towards the hotel but stopped again after a few paces.  
"Oh, uh, one more question for ya. Why didn't 'cha want me buyin' that spice mix earlier?"  
He figured he would ask while he had the chance.

Alastor had begun to walk in the opposite direction, however as Anthony spoke again, he paused to glance over his shoulder back at the man, his smile slowly growing. He'd almost totally forgotten about that.  
The spices sold for a small price within the butchers and were all handpicked and grown by Alastor himself. It was a nice way to make a little extra money... with a little bit of _entertainment_ on the side.

Yes, Alastor had grown all the spices and herbs in those jars himself, however, that didn't mean all of them were _safe_. _Some_ were poisonous. Toxic. Harmful to even the human touch. And they'd killed before without an ounce of suspicion being thrown Alastor's way. Finding out about a death in the newspaper the next day that had been unknowingly caused by him just brought the man so much entertainment and pure joy. It was truly an addiction.

So, when it came to Anthony, Alastor may have been in a great conflict of the heart in regards to the younger man, but he did not want him to die. That much, he would admit to himself.

However, Alastor liked to call the game of selling poisonous herbs by a simpler term.  
"It's an unlucky game of Russian Roulette."   
He stated simply before facing forwards again and slowly starting to walk off, arms crossed behind his back.

Anthony's brows knitted together at the response, Alastor walking away before he could ask any more questions. He didn't want to hold him up any longer either, so he just continued on his way as well, his mind more at ease than it was all throughout the day now that they had more or less talked about the events that took place.

Unfortunately, though, he was still very panicked over the event and was still beating himself up over it all; but Alastor had forgiven him and that's all that really mattered right now.


	17. Chapter 17

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Friday, January 28th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Alastor _had_ gone to visit Rosie during the week around once or twice, simply to tell her the information that had been found out at the hospital and that things were going well in regards to getting the all-clear for Batallier's murder. He perhaps hadn't been as talkative about Anthony that week, however, that was nothing Alastor wanted Rosie to be worrying about; but knowing her, of course, she would be curious. 

Rosie _knew_ something was going on with Alastor due to the simple fact that he suddenly wasn't talking about Anthony _at all_. An odd thing for him seeing as he would always bring him up at least _once_ during their meetings but even when she asked about him, Alastor would dodge the question entirely. Suspicious in her opinion and she was determined to find out what happened. Knowledge was power to her and being left out of a loop drove her absolutely mad.

Alastor still hadn't thought much about what had happened between him and Anthony, still choosing to ignore it rather than both think about it and talk it through with himself. It was simply easier and he wasn't the sort of person who worried and dealt with matters of the heart- he'd made that very clear, he thought.

Over the next week, Anthony and Alastor continued their distancing while scoping their target. Anthony wasn't around the shop nearly as much, three times out of seven days to be exact, getting the same sausage to feed to Molly, the stray cat he had befriended that liked to hang around Congo Square.

The day soon came though that Anthony was to be cooking dinner for both Alastor and his mother.

Anthony stood outside of the butcher's shop, waiting for Alastor to finish his shift so they go and purchase the necessary ingredients for the meal he was planning to make as an official apology.   
Nothing was better than food to an Italian family.

After finishing up with his usual work at the butcher's, Alastor met up with the other man outside, offering him a curt nod as he took out a cigarette.   
"Do you know what you're perhaps making this evening? I understand you planned on Italian, so you will need specific ingredients for that, no?"   
He spoke, a cigarette between his lips as he lit it up, throwing the used match on the ground behind him as they walked.

Anthony looked up to the man and gave a nod.  
"Sure do! Been thinkin' about what I was gunna make all week so I got the perfect thing. Easy, simple, tutto Italiano."  
He said with a smile. 

By this point, Anthony had gone through his thoughts and feelings with himself and decided it best not to think about it anymore, simply push it deep down again and forget about it.  
There was no hope so there was no point in holding onto it.

"Pasta with Parmigiano and butter."  
He stated, mouth almost watering just at the name. It was the first dish Molly learned how to make and because they were still young at that point in time, Anthony was there for it too.

Alastor nodded a little at that, glancing down at the blonde briefly. He'd only eaten Italian once before at a small Italian restaurant that was around the French Quarter and from what he remembered of it, it had been rather enjoyable. So of course, he was looking forward to seeing what this dish Anthony had planned was going to both look and taste like.

"Well, it certainly sounds like berries to me!"   
He chuckled, the two of them walking first to a small grocery store in case Anthony needed to pick anything up from there.

Anthony did want to pick all of the ingredients up just so he wouldn't use anything he didn't buy himself. That just didn't seem quite fair. He didn't need much anyway so the stop was fairly quick.   
Once he'd gotten everything and paid for it all, they were on their way to the streetcar stop and from there to Alastor's abode.  
He could only hope that the meal he was going to make would be satisfactory not only to himself but to Alastor and his mother. Italian was quite different from the food they had around here as far as he could tell. If they didn't like it, well, he would just come up with something else to make for them.

The ride back to Alastor's home was quite quiet, and the ingredients Anthony had brought certainly looked promising to Alastor. He was a big lover of food, and his mother was as well, so whatever Anthony made them he knew they'd both love it regardless.

When the streetcar came to a stop, Alastor lead them off and began the short trek to his home.  
"My mother is quite excited to have company over."   
Alastor eventually spoke, breaking the silence between the two of them as they neared the home.   
"I told her the occasion was an apology for the last time you saw her."

Anthony looked up at Alastor, now having the confidence again to do so. He gave a bit of a smile.  
"It's kinda that too. Just an all-around apology meal."  
He chuckled lightly in reply, now looking back to the path ahead of him.  
"Thanks for lettin' me do this for ya, Smiles. I'm excited too. Ain't allowed to back home unless my sister's sick."

Alastor simply nodded, leading Anthony to the front of his home and pushing the door open, taking off his shoes before stepping in.   
"Yes, it's quite alright... thank you for offering."   
He replied, looking across at the Italian and offering him the first genuine smile ever since the incident had happened between them.

Anthony graciously followed the rules of Alastor's home and removed his shoes just outside before he was properly inside. 

From there Alastor removed his jacket and hung it up, closing the door behind Anthony once he was in.

The woman of the house was immediately making her way down the stairs with a bright smile.  
"Anthony! A pleasure to see you again, my dear!"  
She greeted warmly as she approached with open arms.

Alastor smiled warmly upon seeing his mother walking down the stairs, the man taking a step back as she said hello to their guest, being as warm as she always was.

"Salve signora, how're ya doin'?"  
Anthony asked just before the woman's arms wrapped around him in a welcoming hug.  
"Aye, just like family already, ah?"  
He chuckled lightly, his stereotypical Italian really coming through for a moment. 

"Let me take these for you, dear."  
She stated as she started to try to take the bag of groceries but was stopped by the blonde.

"No ma'am, just lead the way and I'll take care of the rest."  
He replied.

"Mama, Anthony has plans to make _us_ some food this evening. You aren't allowed to step even a foot into the kitchen once food preparation has begun." 

He chuckled, moving back over to his jacket and pulling out his cigarette box and placing it on the table in the lounge.  
"Let me change into something more appropriate. I shall be down in a moment."   
Alastor spoke to both of them, signaling that he was going to go upstairs to change out of his work uniform.  
He made sure to be relatively quick with his change, opting for a simple outfit, nothing too fancy. Just some plain pants, a white shirt, and some suspenders.

Amélie gave a nod to Alastor before leading Anthony into the kitchen.  
"Now, are you sure you know what you're doing? I'm here to help you if you need anything."

Anthony simply chuckled and nodded.  
"Yes, I'm confident I know what I'm doin'. All I need is a pot, a saucepan, cuttin' board, knife, one of those strainer things, and a grater. If I think of anythin' else I'll ask."  
He explained with a smile.

Amélie noticed the dimples immediately and smiled in return, pinching one of Anthony's cheeks.  
"Such a cute boy. I'll get everything out for you."  
She replied, letting go of his cheek and started pulling the requested kitchen utensils from the cupboards and drawers.

Anthony wasn't too keen on being called cute and things along those emasculating lines, but because of his upbringing and the fact that he liked this woman, he simply smiled and thanked her for the compliment before getting everything laid out so he could start to prepare.

Soon, Alastor was walking back down to the kitchen, wanting to keep his mother company while Anthony cooked.   
"I trust everything is going well?"   
Alastor called out as he waltzed his way into the kitchen, seeing his mother helping get all the utensils ready for Anthony to begin cooking.

Anthony and Amélie both looked over to the man as he made his appearance, Anthony giving a nod.  
"Should be a breeze, Smiles."  
He replied as Amélie finished setting everything out.

"Smiles? How fitting."  
The woman stated with a smile.

Alastor wore a slightly smug smile upon his face due to his mother noticing the nickname Anthony had bestowed upon him over the weeks.

"Alright. Both of ya. Outta here. This is my kitchen now."  
Anthony said as he began to escort the two out of the room in a waving motion.  
"Questa è la mia cucina adesso. Vai fuori di qui."

Amélie looked up at Alastor as they were practically kicked from the kitchen and Anthony made his way back to start his preparation.  
"He's a genuine Italian? Why didn't you tell me?"  
She asked softly in French as not to be rude to their guest as she and her son made their way into the lounge and sat down.

"Of course he is, Mama. He wouldn't bother pretending. What's the point of that?" 

Alastor replied, sitting himself down opposite the woman.

"I'm not sure what it's like up in New York, so Italian food could be a frequent favorite there for all I know."  
She replied with a shrug.

"How was your day? All was well at the hospital, I hope."   
He decided to shift the conversation a bit, no worries of speaking about this with Anthony in the home since the other couldn't speak nor understand French.

"My day was well, thank you for asking. Nothing out of the ordinary, as usual."  
She hummed, crossing one leg over the other.

If there was one thing about Amélie everyone should know, it's that she cannot stay still for more than five minutes. She needed to be moving constantly, preferably doing something productive, or she would start losing her mind.

"How was your day? Did anything at all interesting happen today?"  
Amélie then asked.

Alastor nodded at that, getting at least some peace of mind from the fact that his mother's workday had gone well without any issues.   
"Nothing particularly special happened for me either. Anthony met me at the end of my shift and we gathered groceries before returning here. That is all that's worth noting I suppose."

It wasn't often that both Alastor and his mother had a spare moment at the same time to sit and talk about their days, so this was quite nice.

Amélie smiled and gave a nod.  
"I suppose that sounds like a good day. I understand Anthony is here until further notice. Have you been with him much? How does he like the city?"  
She asked, curious about Anthony now that this was the second time meeting him and that he was being kind enough to cook a meal for them. She did catch a glimpse of his name as Alastor was writing the week prior but didn't know what it was about.

Alastor's eyes narrowed in the slightest in regards to his mother's questioning about the Italian, but he answered regardless.   
"Hm yes, from what I gathered he very much likes the city. And I have been with him a bit, showing him around."   
He responded with a bit of a shrug.

Amélie couldn't help but smile a little wider at hearing that.  
"Good. He's a very sweet boy and I would hate for his stay to be less than p-"  
Just as she was about to finish her sentence, a soft bang could be heard from the kitchen, causing her to jump to a stand instantly.   
Amélie's time was up and needed to move around.  
"I better go check on him."  
She stated as she gathered the skirt of her dress and headed for the kitchen.

As soon as his mother jumped up at the quiet thud, Alastor shook his head, closing his eyes with a sigh as he slowly stood, following after her. He knew very well that she was awful at sitting still for even a second, unless she was doing something productive such as sewing or reading; but he wanted her to relax today.

Anthony was in the midst of making the pasta dough, kneading it, and tossing it around a bit.   
When he noticed Amélie enter the kitchen, he put the dough down and shook his head, walking towards her.  
"Ehi, no no no, esci di qui in questo istante. Questa è la mia cucina adesso. Via con te!"

"Mama."   
Alastor sighed as he popped his head into the kitchen, chuckling a little at Anthony who was trying to get Amélie out of the room.   
Placing a hand on her shoulder, he slowly led her out into the lounge once again.   
"Anthony is absolutely _fine_."

"Assolutamente ridicolo!"  
Anthony called to them as he went back to his preparations.

Amélie couldn't help but give a small laugh as she allowed herself to be guided back into the lounge.  
"Quite the feisty little man, isn't he?"  
She muttered.

"How about I play you something, hm? Distract you for a little while."  
Alastor offered.

The woman looked up at her son as he made the suggestion.  
"I would like that very much, dear. It's been so long since I've heard you play."  
She smiled, taking her seat again. This was something she would make herself sit through. It had always been a treat to hear her son play.

"Alright then."   
Alastor nodded with a small, making sure his mother was sitting down before he moved across the lounge to sit on the stool belonging to a small wooden upright piano in the corner of the room.   
"Do you want to hear your favorite?"   
Alastor asked over his shoulder as he sat down and lifted the lid of the piano, settling his hands upon the ivory keys.  
His mother had always loved to hear him play, and it made him happy to know that she loved it.

"Yes, please."  
Amélie nodded as she leaned back into her seat to relax a bit.   
She remembered the days when Alastor's feet couldn't even reach the pedals of the instrument, teaching him how to play whenever she had the time off of work.   
Those were days she missed and wished she could have provided more time together for her son.   
Amélie cherished him and to see how quickly he had grown from the little boy he used to be into the strong and tall man he was now saddened her a bit, knowing she wasn't able to watch him evolve as much as she wished she could have but was happy with how wonderful he had stayed.

Alastor had been learning to play for years, and even now could still remember his very first lesson from his mother on one of her days off years ago.  
Amélie's favorite song also happened to be Alastor's too, so he had no problems with playing it, beginning to do so once he was comfortable on the seat.   
Slowly, Alastor started to play the beautiful piece, closing his eyes a little as he got into the song.

As Anthony let the dough rest, he started to fill the pot with water and put it on the stove.   
It was then that he heard music come from the other room. As he stood listening, his first thought was that Amélie was playing. His second thought was his own mother.   
There was an entire room back at his home in New York that was dedicated to musical instruments that had been locked up once his mother passed away.   
Anthony's mother loved music. That's one of the few things he was able to remember about her.   
When he and Molly were still very small, one of his only memories were when she would sit at the piano with himself and his twin in her lap and play.

Pulling himself from his thoughts, Anthony slowly made his way to the lounge to watch. He had about twenty minutes before the dough was ready to be cut.  
His first sight was Amélie sitting in an armchair, not playing, so when he saw that it was Alastor playing, he stopped in his tracks and just watched him.

It was a rather long song, but there was no rush really. When it eventually did come to an end, Alastor opened his eyes again, glancing over his shoulder back at his mother with a small smile. He didn't even notice Anthony standing and watching.

"I know you've always loved that one."   
He nodded with a warm smile, his gaze suddenly flicking towards the door of the lounge, seeing Anthony standing there.   
"Ah, Anthony. I'm presuming you enjoyed the small recital too?"

The blonde snapped out of his trance and cleared his throat.  
"Uh... yeah. Yeah, it was beautiful."  
He replied with a nod and went to check his watch. He still had a few things to do before the dough was ready.

"Is there something else you need, Anthony?"  
Amélie asked as she started to stand.

"Hm? Oh, no, everythin' is goin' great! Just had t' wait for somethin'. As y' were."  
The blonde nodded, going back into the kitchen, taking the cheese out of the packaging and started to grate it.

Amélie looked to Alastor again with a smile, switching to French again.  
"You always meet some of the best people, Alastor."

Alastor watched as Anthony left the room before his gaze turned back to his mother, the man laughing a little at her comment.   
"Well then, I'd say that certainly comes from you, Mama."   
He continued, turning back over his shoulder to the piano and beginning to play another song.

Over the next twenty-five to thirty minutes, Anthony was just finishing up mixing the pasta with the sauce and once he found the plates and cutlery, he decided he would set the table while he waited for the sauce to thicken a bit.   
He then went back to the lounge with a bright smile.  
"Vieni al tavolo. Come t' the table."  
He stated in both Italian and English before making his way back to the kitchen.

Amélie was of course the first one up out of her seat and making her way to the table, which she found was already set with a plate with a slice of Parmigiano cheese and grater in the center.

Upon hearing Anthony calling them both for dinner, Alastor stood from the piano and followed his mother over to the table, taking his usual seat and raising a brow at the cheese and grater that was on the table. Whatever it was that Anthony had made, it certainly smelled good.

"How exciting."  
The woman stated as she looked back at Alastor with a smile.

"Yes, it definitely is quite the treat."   
He chuckled back, looking over the table and realizing they didn't have anything to drink.   
Standing from his seat, he made his way into the kitchen, seeing Anthony working with what looked to be pasta.   
"Anything you wish to drink in particular?"

Anthony jolted a bit at the voice that came from behind him but relaxed again when he realized it was only Alastor.  
"Oh, ah, I'm fine with anythin'. Thanks, Smiles."  
He stated with a smile as he gave the pasta one more stir in the sauce before plating it up. He then set the now-empty pan down again and picked up the three plates, bringing them to the table and set them down.

"Oh, this looks incredible, Anthony!"  
Amélie exclaimed with a wide smile.

"Thank you. Don't touch it yet."  
He replied as he picked up the cheese that was there and grated some on top of each dish with a hum.

Alastor knew that his mother would only have water and if he was honest, he didn't want anything more than that right now so with three glasses of water in hand, Alastor returned to the dinner table.   
"My, that certainly looks delectable."   
Alastor hummed, looking over what Anthony was doing as he sat down too.   
"Does it not smell delightful, Mama?"

Both Alastor and his mother were big foodies, so he knew that both of them would appreciate Anthony's efforts.

"Absolutely incredible."  
Amélie replied with a smile and a nod.

"Well, go ahead. It's always best hot."  
Anthony smiled with a nod, gesturing for them to try the food. He waited until they took the first bite out of habit.

Alastor and his mother didn't waste a second after being told to go ahead, picking up the cutlery and digging into the dish, twisting some of the pasta onto their forks, and tasting it, immediately being met with a wave of delicious creamy cheese.  
It was nothing short of excellent, to say the least, and judging from the look on his mother's face, Alastor would say that she felt the same way.

Once the two took their first bite Anthony took his, a dimple-filled smile taking its place on his face. It had turned out better than he could have asked for which made him incredibly happy.

"Well, what 'cha think?"  
He asked after a few moments, looking at the other two at the table.

Amélie looked at the Italian with astonishment.  
"You're not allowed to leave this house until I get this recipe from you. Such an amazing treat."  
She praised.

"Oh, this is real easy t' make. The sauce is only butter, Parmigiano origiano, and a bitta pepper. First thing my sister and I learned t' make."  
Anthony replied with a shake of his head, the smile on his face never falling.

It was truly an excellent dish, and the smile upon everyone's faces said it all. Especially Anthony's face, Alastor catching a glimpse of those dimples as he smiled widely, proud of his food no doubt; and for once, _Alastor_ was the one who found himself staring, blinking a couple of times and glancing quickly down at his food before anyone could notice.

"You're a man with many talents it seems, Anthony."  
Alastor eventually spoke, taking a sip of his water.

Anthony felt Alastor's eyes on him but didn't want to make eye contact or hide his smile, wanting to see how long he would stare for. That is until the man spoke, he had to acknowledge the compliment.

"Grazie, Alastor."  
He replied.  
"If we do this again, I'll be sure t' come up with a dessert plan too."  
His smile did fall ever so slightly at that. He didn't have any experience with desserts and knew his time was limited, the clock ticking away rather quickly until it was time for him to leave the city probably forever.  
Picking his smile back up, Anthony allowed himself to embrace this time he had with these outstanding people and make sure the memories would last for a long time.  
He picked up his fork and continued to eat, making conversation with the two as they all enjoyed the meal.

Alastor caught himself seriously laughing at a couple of jokes Anthony made, and while they ate, he wasn't _once_ reminded of what had happened between the two of them.

When they'd all finished eating, Alastor suddenly became aware of the fact that he and Anthony had just been laughing and passing a good time together as if nothing had happened between them at all. It really put things into perspective yet also puzzled him. What he hadn't wanted to even _think_ about earlier in regards to their kiss, suddenly became something that Alastor _wanted_ to analyze a little more. In his spare time, of course.

All in all, Alastor was very thankful to Anthony that evening. He'd made his mother smile and enjoy her meal- not to mention relax for once, which meant everything to him.

Anthony stood once things had settled again and begun gathering the now empty plates.

Amélie was quick to stand as well.  
"Oh, Anthony, don't trouble yourself any more than you already have."  
She said as she attempted to stop him.

Alastor too was about to help gather the plates, but upon seeing that both his mother and Anthony were clearly wanting to do so, he stood down.

"Aye, it ain't no trouble. Just sit back and relax. You're doin' enough as it is."  
Anthony replied, which seemed to work as the woman sighed and slowly sat back down. He took the plates to the kitchen and set them near the sink for now. He had full intention to wash them, but for now, he wanted to enjoy a little more time with the people he enjoyed being around.

It was as Anthony was returning to the dining room that Amélie looked over at the grandfather clock.  
"Oh, dear me, it's getting late. I have an early shift tomorrow."  
She explained.  
"I'm afraid I have to take my leave now, but thank you, Anthony, for such a wonderful meal. Please stay as long as you'd like."

"Oh, that ain't a problem, ma'am. Go get some rest. Thanks for lettin' me cook for ya."  
Anthony replied with a sweet smile.

"Oh, enough with the formalities, Anthony. Amélie will do."  
She smiled as she stood and walked over to the Italian with open arms.  
"I do hope we can do this again before you have to go back home. I've enjoyed myself quite a lot."  
She added as she embraced the blonde.

As soon as his mother realized the time, Alastor smiled, glad that his mother was opting to rest.   
"Get some rest Mama. I shall see you in the morning."   
Alastor nodded in her direction.

Carefully returning the hug, Anthony smiled and nodded.  
"Thanks for havin' me, Amélie. Now get upstairs and get some sleep. I don't wanna hear another peep from ya."  
He instructed in a playful manner. He knew he had no power here, nor did he want any.

Once she was upstairs, Anthony gave a small sigh and looked to Alastor.  
"Well, hopefully, this made up for everythin'. If not, I'll just come back again."  
He said with a small smile.  
"I'll do the dishes and then I guess I'll be on my way."  
He added as he headed back into the kitchen with his hands in his pockets.

Alastor became quieter once his mother had gone upstairs, leaving himself and Anthony alone now.   
A few moments passed after Anthony had gone into the kitchen before Alastor followed, rolling up his sleeves as he walked.   
"I shall help you."   
He nodded.

Anthony was going to refuse but figured it might be best he did accept considering he didn't know where anything belonged.

The duration of the cleaning was fairly quiet between the two, Anthony doing the washing and Alastor doing the drying and putting away of the dishes.

As Anthony dried his hands with a towel, he looked to the taller man with a small smile.  
"Well, thanks for havin' me. I should get back t' the hotel."  
He said before making his way to the door, really hoping this mended their misunderstanding.

Alastor was silent as he followed Anthony over to the front door, grabbing his jacket from the coat stand and a hat.   
"Yes, I shall walk you to the stop."   
It was Alastor's silent way of saying that 'all was forgiven' and it was. Their misunderstanding still completely bewildered him, but it was now more so the fact that he had kissed _back_. Instinctively. Rather than the fact that Anthony had done anything in the first place; but that aside, his thoughts now were on walking Anthony to the streetcar stop, Alastor slipping on his shoes and stepping out into the darkness before reaching down to tie them up.  
Amélie had brought them in while dinner was being prepared.

Anthony slipped his own shoes on and tied the laces quickly before stepping out, closing the door behind him.  
As they walked, Anthony began to think back to a topic that had come up a few times before.

"So, your mom seemed happy t'night."  
He stated, leading up to his question.

Alastor raised a brow at the conversation topic, but welcomed it regardless, nodding simply as he walked along the sidewalk.   
"Why yes. She enjoys the company of any sort, and seemed to like you very much."   
He responded, smile widening just a little more at that.

"I'm glad she does. I'd hate t' see her upset."  
Anthony replied, glancing up at the man for a moment.  
"Was she upset when your dad passed?"  
He wasn't sure if this was crossing a line considering his reactions previously to the topic of his father but asked regardless.

Now that was certainly an interesting development. Anthony wanting to know more about Alastor's father it seemed.   
"Of course."   
Alastor replied easily, his expression staying the same.   
"She became a widow and lost her husband. Of course she was going to be somewhat upset."

Anthony's eyes narrowed, looking up at the man for a moment before giving a curt nod.  
"'Course, yeah. Makes sense."  
He could certainly feel that something wasn't being said on Alastor's part. No one spoke of a loved one's passing with that sort of expression. That _smile_. It was still something he was trying to figure out.  
"Didja love him?"

Alastor couldn't help the scoff that left his mouth, smile being _completely_ wiped off his face.  
"Anthony, I barely _knew_ the man. Besides, a child as young as I was when I _did_ know him, hardly could understand the concept of love. No matter _what_ way it was supposedly shown."   
There was something awfully bitter to his tone there, despite how hard he tried to not let it show.

There it was.  
"Barely knew my mom and I still loved her."  
He stated with a shrug, glancing at the taller man again with those shining green pools. Something made him all the more curious about Alastor's father.   
_No matter what way it was supposedly shown._  
Something about that line not to mention the tone used...

Alastor quickly stopped from getting too ahead of himself, the sudden distraction of the streetcar stop just up ahead doing that for him.   
"Yes well, perhaps I did love my father then."   
He spoke simply, the usual unsettling smile slowly creeping back up his face again.   
"A _shame_ that he's dead. Happens to us all."

Again, it was there. Alastor knew something about his father's death.  
"Hm. Right."  
Anthony hummed as he looked forward again, seeing the stop.  
"Well, anyway, thanks for havin' me. Was a good time and it was nice seein' your mom again."  
He decided to steer the conversation in a different direction again.  
"Guess I'll be seein' ya again soon?"

As soon as the conversation topic changed, as did Alastor just like the flick of a switch.   
"Haha, why yes, I shall be seeing you soon Anthony! Say, your visits to the shop have become awfully scarce. I do hope they become frequent again."   
Once more was that a sort of way for him to say that all was forgiven between the two of them.

Anthony honestly didn't think Alastor cared whether he went in or not, so he wasn't sure if he was implying something or what his intentions were with that.  
"Yeah, I'll make it happen more often."  
He replied with a small nod, leaning against the stops post once he made it there and took out a cigarette, lighting it as he waited for the streetcar.

Once they had made it to the stop, Alastor paused in his tracks, looking Anthony up and down briefly.   
"I shall say goodnight then. The food was wonderful, really. Thank you, again."   
And once more did he offer another one of his rare genuine and warm smiles.

Anthony gave a nod in the man's direction, a small smile still on his face despite still being a bit unsettled by how he reacted when his father was brought up, but tried not to think too much about it.  
"Night, Smiles."


	18. Chapter 18

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Sunday, January 30th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Sunday quickly rolled around, two days after Anthony had made the wonderful pasta dish for both Alastor and his mother.  
Originally, he had planned to once again spend the majority of the day with the Italian, the two of them going to scope out Batallier later on in the evening, however, the brief appearance of Rosie the day before telling Alastor that she wanted to meet the next morning had changed his plans slightly.

He wasn't particularly sure what Rosie wanted to speak about, but he supposed he would find out. It was too much of a nice day _not_ to go out, so he and Rosie were going to take a walk around the city as they talked. 

Even before Alastor could knock upon Rosie's door, it suddenly opened.

Rosie was already set and waiting for Alastor's arrival, smiling a bit as she stepped out of the house.  
"Good morning, my dear."  
She greeted.  
"How are you?"

She was simply curious about how Alastor was doing and wanted to see if she would get any answers out of him yet about Anthony. She knew something had happened due to the fact that Alastor had suddenly stopped talking about him entirely over the past week; strange considering Anthony was guaranteed to be brought up at least once by him in every conversation before. She knew that the Italian was also still in the city, having seen him a few times herself.

Standing back as Rosie stepped out of her home, the door closing behind her, Alastor held his arm out for her to take.  
"Yes, I am quite well thank you, Rosie. And yourself?"  
He asked, the two of them beginning to walk nowhere in particular.  
He was _quite_ curious as to what she had wanted to speak about, then again, it could have simply just been her wanting to have a regular conversation and a catch up with him.

Rosie adjusted her elegant hat a bit and took the arm offered to her with a nod of thanks, beginning to walk with the man.  
"Lovely, as always."  
She smiled.  
"How have you been the past few days? Well, I hope."  
She had a strategy this time and if it didn't end up working in her favor, she _would_ be getting answers another way.

Alastor nodded slightly at that. He had been alright he supposed.  
"Yes, I have been quite well. Awfully busy at the butcher's what with Mardi Gras coming up shortly. Say, do you have anything planned for then?"  
As for Alastor's plans for Mardi Gras, if Anthony was still around like he said he'd be, then he would most likely be showing the other the wonders of the occasion for the majority of the day.

"For Mardi Gras? Nothing out of the ordinary jumps out at me in particular, no. Why? Do you have something in mind for it?"  
Rosie asked as she casually looked around at their surroundings. She wasn't sure if her plan was quite working the way she'd hoped.

Alastor smiled a little with another nod.  
"No, not really. Just the same old I suppose."  
He knew that his mother had the morning off on Mardi Gras and aside from her celebrating in the morning, there wasn't much else happening. His mother had wanted to hold a meal in the evening, but alas, she was working.

Rosie gave a bit of a nod, eyes narrowing slightly.  
"I see. Do you know if Anthony is doing anything for it? Unlikely, considering he's here for something else entirely."  
She said as she gave a polite nod of her head to a passerby.  
Since Alastor wasn't going to mention Anthony on his own, she figured she would bring him up to see if he would slip.

Alastor raised a brow at that, curious as to why the woman was suddenly asking about Anthony's business. Alastor hadn't spoken about Anthony in a while, and with good reason, so it was strange that this was the first mention of him again- from Rosie.  
"Hm... I suppose it depends on whether he's still around."  
Alastor replied with slight suspicion, _knowing_ that Anthony would be around, but wanting to see where Rosie was going with this.

"Ah, so you _are_ still in contact with him."  
A smirk curled at her lips slightly.  
"You haven't spoken of him in quite a while and when I would ask before, you would avoid it as if your life depended on it."  
She stated as her brow raised, glancing at the man for a moment to see if she could read his expression.

Alastor didn't let his expression be readable to Rosie as she called him out, the man simply staring ahead at the pathway, smile still present.  
"Did I ever say that I _wasn't_ still in contact with him, hm? Perhaps I simply had no news in regards to Anthony over the last two weeks."

"Don't take that tone with me, young man."  
Rosie scolded.  
"I know when something is going on with you."  
She added.  
"You don't simply drop a topic altogether and actively avoid it unless something had happened and you're trying to either sort it out in your own head or it got on your nerves so much that you refuse to acknowledge it."

It seemed that getting around this wasn't going to work. Rosie knew Alastor too well.  
Falling silent as the woman scolded him, still wanting to be respectful of his friend, Alastor continued to look ahead.  
"Nothing happened between Anthony and I. Like I said, there was simply nothing new to report."  
He replied calmly with a smile.

"I know you well enough to know you're lying, Alastor. You were quite defensive just there and now you're playing rather calm. Not to mention you're tense."  
Rosie replied, giving his arm a small squeeze.  
"I know how to read you, child. You cannot hide from me."

It was irritating no doubt, being close with someone who knew your every move, expression, and all of your body language too well, but Alastor supposed there was no use being stubborn now. Getting on Rosie's bad side was not something that he wanted to happen today.

"Alright fine. It seems you have won this time, Rosie darling. Yes, something _did_ happen between Anthony and I, however, I do not wish to discuss it."

"I always win, dear."  
Rosie replied, satisfied that she'd gotten at least a confession. An explanation would be the icing on the cake.  
"What could be worse than what I already know about you?"  
She questioned.  
"But, if you're insistent on not discussing whatever it was, so be it. However, voicing it out loud might help you figure it out."  
The woman added, raising a brow.

Now, Alastor certainly wasn't going to be spilling the beans _that_ quickly. He knew that Rosie would keep on quietly digging for answers, but she'd be lucky if she got anything else out of him right now. Or at least, while they were outside.  
"I'm afraid I shall not be discussing anything of the sort out in the open. I do have an image to keep up, after all."

That answer alone made her wonder all the more. It was clearly something illegal or frowned upon by society's standards. She couldn't help but let her mind run away with ideas yet again.  
"Ah, of course. Understood."  
She replied.  
"If that's the case, why don't we go back to my abode and we can discuss there? Madeline isn't home and won't be for a while."  
She then suggested.

Alastor slowly nodded at Rosie's words, the two of them rounding a corner that looped back to the road the woman lived down. They hadn't managed to walk very far in the first place, so the home was just up ahead.

Soon enough they'd arrived, Alastor letting Rosie open the door before he stepped in after her, removing his hat and placing it upon the stand that was behind the door.  
"Madeline isn't here, hm? Good."

"Quite the troublesome girl. So much like her father."  
Rosie sighed as she too removed her hat and put it in its designated box and then into the storage closet next to the front door, next removing her shoes.  
She then cleared her throat and made her way into the lounge.  
"Now then, do explain what all has transpired. It's been well over a week and I am getting rather restless."

Madeline's father and Rosie's husband was certainly an interesting topic. He died a fair few years ago now, when Madeline had been quite young still, and ever since his rather convenient death, Alastor's mother had been quite cautious of her.

"Now, I do not want you to take this the wrong way."  
Alastor started, returning back to the topic at hand.  
"Anthony may be one, however, I am no such absurd thing."  
He began, taking a seat in the lounge.

Rosie's chin raised as she watched Alastor closely, folding her hands neatly in her lap, giving a slow nod.  
"Yes, continue."  
The way this conversation was beginning was intriguing. There were a number of things Anthony was to Rosie's knowledge, so which thing Alastor was referring to made her wonder.

Crossing a leg, Alastor leaned back a little.  
"We had just finished at the hospital- Anthony snuck into Batallier's office there and found some game-changing important documents that were needed to speed along the process of the kill."  
He paused a moment, knowing he had Rosie's attention.  
"After we finished there we walked over to Congo Square to observe Batallier that evening. However, he never showed up. Anthony and I, we were waiting on a park bench for a long while together, however, I think Lawrence was just being cautious by not showing up."

Rosie's eyes narrowed and her head tilted. Her attention was definitely caught and her patience was growing rather thin. She hated waiting for information that had been withheld from her for so long and she knew damn well that Alastor knew this fact, but she remained silent so he would continue.

Alastor could tell Rosie's impatience was growing, but he always told his stories as they were. Or at least, he tried to.  
"I don't particularly know what happened, but as we were waiting, Anthony told me of a birthmark that resided in his eye. Naturally, I went to take a closer look, and before I knew it, his lips were on mine."  
For the first time saying that out loud, Alastor was surprisingly calm about it.

There it was. The thing Alastor had been keeping to himself for well over a week and driving Rosie mad over.  
Needless to say, she was at a loss for words, not because she was outraged or disappointed, but because she genuinely couldn't tell how Alastor felt about it. Obviously he was still trying to figure it out himself, but the calmness in his voice was a little off-putting.

"I suppose the question I have for you is this. How did you react?"  
She then asked once she managed to gather her thoughts.

Alastor did quiet down for a brief moment at Rosie's questioning, his brain processing everything once again.  
"I... didn't really. Well, what I suppose I mean is that I didn't react _badly_. Anthony was the one who ran off."  
He responded with a small nod.

Rosie nodded slowly.  
"I see, but how did you react _during_ the action? Did you retract? Did you freeze?"  
She prodded, head tilting to the other side.

Alastor raised his chin a little, deciding to be honest. After all, even if he lied, Rosie would be able to see straight through him.  
"I kissed him back."  
Was all he replied, very simply, as if it was nothing.

Rosie was now trying to picture the scene in her mind, eyes wandering a bit. Never could she imagine Alastor actually _letting_ someone get that close to him, let alone _return_ the kiss. Tapping her chin a bit, she figured it best not to picture any of it and stick to the important details of the aftermath.

"You said you're not like him, as in a homosexual, yet you returned the kiss?"  
This was confusing to Rosie, to say the least.  
"Did the two of you discuss this? Did you make sure he understands that you're not like him? If not, you may have some explaining to do, _especially_ if you returned the action."

He knew that this would be hard for her to believe. Him kissing another. He was not an affectionate being by any means, at the very most hugged his mother when she needed it. So this was something else.

"Rosie, you know me. I am hardly a homosexual."  
He chuckled slightly, waving a hand dismissively.  
"And yes, the two of us already discussed it. It was simply a misunderstanding on Anthony's part. That is all."

Rosie raised a brow and gave a slow nod.  
"If that is what you claim, so be it. Is that all you've been hiding from me?"  
She asked.  
"Is there anything else you wish to get off of your chest while we have the chance?"

"I-"  
Again, Alastor paused, quickly shaking his head.  
"No, Rosie. I don't believe there is. The truth of the matter is that Anthony and I will be together during Mardi Gras, and I will be showing him around a little more before his leave shortly after, whenever exactly that will be."

Rosie gave another nod.  
"Well, I hope he enjoys his time, and don't forget to keep your guard up. No matter what happens, he is still a stranger and seems to hide many things. His outward appearance is certainly out of the ordinary when it comes to the usual mafia style and characteristics."  
She stated, her mind running once again.

Alastor knew that Rosie was right. She always was.  
"I never let my guard down, you know that too."  
He responded, running a hand through his hair quickly.  
"But yes, I do hope Anthony enjoys the celebrations too. It was such a shame that he missed the New Years' ones."  
And there it was again, he was back to speaking about Anthony.

Rosie smirked with narrowed, knowing eyes as she stood from her seat.  
"An interesting conversation topic the two of you could have if he trusts you enough is his nickname within his line of work. All members have nicknames. It would also be interesting to know when he was initiated. "  
She stated with a hum as she strode to the door.  
"Of course those are sensitive topics and are often kept within the family. Your choice, my dear."

Alastor picked up on the small smirk Rosie wore, knowing that her mind was working away. But about _what_ , he wasn't entirely sure.

"Yes, you're quite right."  
He slowly hummed, taking note of her idea as he too stood and followed her towards the door, grabbing his hat.  
"I don't see why Anthony _wouldn't_ trust me. He has already told me many a secret. In terms of initiation, well aside from the fact that he has never verbally confirmed that he is even _affiliated_ with the Italian Mafia of New York, I don't know anything about that. All I know is that he apparently _has_ to be the one to kill Batallier. It's very important."  
Alastor explained, fixing his jacket and tie.

Rosie was about to open the door for Alastor but stopped and turned towards him with narrowed eyes.  
"One final question before I set you free."  
She stated, making sure to keep her eyes on his, practically reading into his very soul.  
"Do you happen to hold any form of feelings towards Anthony?"  
She asked.  
"Before you answer, think of him as the opposite sex. How would you feel about him? Would anything change?"

Alastor's eyes narrowed in turn, lips pursing together, teeth grinding against each other slightly at the rather intrusive question.  
"Rosie."  
The man warned, chin raising a little more.  
"I would feel the same. Nothing would change. We simply are... acquaintances at best. We work together. And he will be leaving soon."  
He spoke rather curtly, however, there _was_ something else behind his tone as he mentioned the fact that Anthony would be leaving soon. Maybe Alastor wasn't even sure what it was himself yet.

Rosie knew what that tone was. The way Alastor's Adam's apple dipped in his throat was also an indication of his true feelings. The woman wasn't at all intimidated by this man either. It was incredibly hard to catch her off guard and vulnerable. She wasn't afraid of anything.

"You're correct. He _is_ leaving soon."  
She repeated in agreement, but really she was only trying to pull the reality of the situation out from under him and hold it to his face so _maybe_ he wouldn't be in such intense denial about it all.  
She knew very well from the answer she was just given what Alastor's mind was doing.

Taking a breath and turning back towards the door, Rosie opened it and stepped aside.  
"Be careful, Alastor."  
She said, meaning it more ways than one.  
"And do ask him about his nickname. That's something I'm quite curious about. It holds quite a bit of information."

Glancing off to the side, Alastor nodded, not daring to look the woman in the eyes now.  
"I'm always careful."  
He stated before stepping out, sighing.  
"And I will don't worry. I shall relay anything back to you once I find it out. I know he trusts me."  
And with that, Alastor was gone, Rosie's reminder of Anthony's inevitable leave echoing in his mind as he walked away.

Rosie's words. Her _expressions_. The questions she'd asked and the smirk that had been oh so present on her face upon listening to his reluctant answers. Everything continued to haunt him, replaying in his mind. That, _and_ Anthony. The other scenario that kept replaying was yet another thing that haunted Alastor; and it had _everything_ to do with Anthony.

The blonde close in front of him, green eyes sparkling like the morning sun was shining down upon a river in summer. His lips, inviting and pink. It followed with Alastor giving in and doing similarly as he had done that night at the park. The scenario always ended with them kissing, Alastor's heart _lurching_ in a direction that only pulled him dangerously closer to a thing he could not name. To a feeling that terrified him.

He'd finally come to the painstakingly, hard-to-believe conclusion. An explanation of his reasoning behind his actions of _that_ evening a few weeks ago now. The way he'd welcomed the gesture of a kiss from another man, and the way that he had- as he would now admit to himself, enjoyed it while it lasted. For a first kiss, it was certainly sweet, albeit short-lived; and as someone who _never_ fantasized about romance yet found himself doing more and more so over those two weeks, it left him repulsively wanting more.

It was tiresome, writing down everything. Every little detail that accounted for every time Alastor had felt something for Anthony over the past weeks. Or at least, what he could remember. It took a while too but he had to be sure. He was meticulous, cautious, and completely new to all of this and by the time he'd written it all down, a conclusion had been made. It was a matter of the heart after all.


	19. Chapter 19

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Monday, February 7th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Early morning the day before Mardi Gras of 1921. Alastor had just hopped off the streetcar and was walking through the French Quarter to the butcher's store. Any advances that had been made in regards to Batallier recently were nothing notable, and for now, he and Anthony were simply waiting. As tedious as that was.

Anthony was in his hotel room, getting ready to go out for his daily visit to the butcher shop just after a shower when his phone began to ring.  
Walking over to the phone, he sighed and wiped his face with the towel that hung over his shoulders.

"Ciao, Tony."  
He stated into the receiver.

"Angel, your letter came in. Tomorrow. Get the documents after and the newspaper that covers the story; bring it all home as confirmation. Get your train ticket home for the tenth and you'll be home on the eleventh. Make sure you call with the times so you can be picked up and brought home."  
The voice of Anthony's father came through and then hung up abruptly, leaving the blonde there to scramble for his notebook and a pen, quickly writing down all of the information before hanging up as well.

Anthony looked over his notes and began jogging on the spot excitedly. The timing couldn't have been more perfect.  
He then stuffed everything he needed into his pants pockets, threw on his shirt and shoes, and ran out of his hotel room before having the chance to properly button and tuck his shirt in or properly style his still-damp hair.  
Locking the door behind him, Anthony ran out to the street and all the way to the butcher shop, seeing Alastor just making there by the looks of it.  
His smile grew wide as he sped up.

"Smiles!"  
He called out, waving his hand frantically to get his attention.  
"Sorrisi! Ho ricevuto la chiamata da mio padre!"  
He said excitedly with bright shining eyes as he skidded to a stop just in front of the taller man, jumping up and down. It was clear he was too caught up to process languages.

Alastor had only just gotten to the front entrance of the store and was unlocking the door when he heard Anthony calling for him loud and clear.

Pausing, Alastor glanced over his shoulder, immediately raising a brow at the sudden string of Italian that was thrown his way, of course not understanding a word and being even more confused by the way the blonde was jumping up and down.  
"Do you mind repeating that?"  
He asked with a chuckle, turning back around again so he could unlock the door properly and let the both of them in.

"I just got the call!"  
He repeated, this time in English. His eyes fixed on the man to see his reaction, hoping he would be as equally as excited.

Locking the door behind Anthony, since the shop wasn't officially open for another hour or so, Alastor took his hat off and crossed his arms as he waited for whatever it was Anthony was so excited to say.

"Tomorrow."  
He quickly added as he stopped himself from moving so much. He was starting to run out of breath and he felt as if he might pass out from how happy and excited he was, not to mention he didn't want to knock anything over inside.

When he finally spat it out, Alastor couldn't contain his eye wrinkling smile, a small chuckle leaning his lips at the news. That small chuckle slowly turned into something a little louder, however before it could progress, he stopped himself.  
"Hah, why, that's excellent news! Tomorrow it is."

"We gotta come up with a plan. We know he's gunna be out drinkin' t'morrow for the celebration. Now, I dunno what it's usually like durin' everythin' around here so I dunno how far outta the way we're gunna have t' get 'im."  
Anthony started rambling, taking this time to fix the buttons of his shirt and tuck it into his pants properly.

Now the plan and making sure it could be easily executed was certainly going to be the tricky part. It was Mardi Gras tomorrow and unless they were really out of the way, there was no doubt that _someone_ would see them make the hit on Batallier.  
"It's going to be very busy. There are carts outside already on the streets preparing for tomorrow, so I fear we will have to be far out of the way. Nowhere near here or the park."  
Alastor informed, moving across to the counter and leaning against it as he took his jacket off and neatly folded it over his arm.

Anthony gave a nod and ran his fingers through his hair.

Anthony must have barely woken up and rushed over to tell Alastor about all of this, the older man concluded upon looking him up and down. He wasn't even dressed properly and hair askew.

"Well, 'cause he'll be drinkin', he ain't gunna be where a ton of people are, right? Usually, those places are well outta the way and we know the one he's always at, so I propose we follow 'im t' make sure he goes to his regular spot and wait 'till he comes out again, then we take 'im out."  
The blonde suggested. Usually he would be given specific instructions about where to go and what to do, but this whole thing was on him. He had to do every bit of planning and work, only having been given some details about the target, a specific way to kill, and the proof that he was the one to do it.

"Oh, and we're gunna have t' go back t' his office after and grab those documents he's got hidin' away. Should be easy t' do."  
Anthony added.

"Yes, perhaps all the details can wait until you're more presentable?"

Alastor asked, glancing up to the clock on the wall above the door.

Anthony looked down at himself for a moment and then waved his hand dismissively.  
"Ah, I'm fine. Ain't like my dad's gunna show up and see me like this."  
He retorted with a roll of his eyes but folded his arms over his chest, now a little self-conscious, thinking Alastor was judging him for the state he was in. He wasn't sure why he even cared in the first place; he was excited to get the call and thought Alastor would have wanted to know about it as soon as possible.

"But I agree, your plan does hold up well in the long run... I suppose you'll be taking him out from afar then?"

"Maybe. Gotta do it the way I was told which can be done at any distance. Can't go experimentin' or they're gunna say I didn't do it and I go unrewarded."  
The blonde explained as he brushed himself off.

Alastor nodded a bit, moving over to the backroom as he still listened to what Anthony had to say, grabbing his apron and tying it around his waist before returning.  
"Well, I'm certainly glad that you told me when you did. It's truly excellent news indeed. Thank you."  
With a small smile directed at the blonde, the man found himself soon staring for a brief second before snapping out of that and glancing at the window of the store.

Anthony caught the short stare Alastor gave and felt his throat tighten slightly, looking down at the floor, assuming it was a judgemental sort of stare.  
"Right well uh... I'll get outta here so y' can focus on your work."  
He stated as he turned back to the door.  
"Oh, and I'll be headin' home on the tenth. Goin' t' get the ticket t'day."  
He added, glancing back at the other man as he moved out from behind the counter and towards the door to unlock it for him.

Alastor felt his breath getting caught in his throat slightly as Anthony finally gave the date of his leave. He knew it was going to be soon, but now that there was a solid date? Well, that made things real and definite now.  
"The tenth? I see."  
Of course, he'd expected Anthony to leave eventually. That was inevitable. But he couldn't help but feel... sad? Maybe. After having finally figured everything out and cleared his head in regards to Anthony, Alastor couldn't help but feel like it was all for nothing. Especially if he was to leave so soon.

Anthony gave a half-hearted smile and a nod.  
"I mean, it'll be good. I dunno if ya drink but I got some stuff from home we can share after as a little celebration. I can bring it along and we can go down by the river after. Unless y' got plans, 'course you're welcome t' get t' those instead."  
He shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets as he stepped aside so the door could be properly opened.

Finally unlocking the door, Alastor slowly opened it, looking down at the Italian with a smile.  
"No no, that sounds nice. A drink by the river. That's certainly not something I've done in a while, haha."

"Anyways, we'll meet t'morrow at the park and follow 'im."  
The blonde nodded.

"It may take you a little longer to reach the park."

Alastor quickly stated.  
"You'll be lucky if you can move around the street once the parades and celebrations begin."

Anthony gave a bit of a chuckle as he slowly stepped out into the street.  
"Well, it's a good thing I planned t' get there a few hours early then. Thanks for the heads up."  
It was then that Anthony realized how fortunate he was to have Alastor by his side for this. He wouldn't have known more than half of the things he'd come across if it wasn't for him.

"Alright. Anyways, I'll see ya later."  
The blonde nodded before making his way back down the street.

"I'll be seeing you."  
Alastor replied, watching as Anthony walked away before he closed the door again, locking it so he could prepare the store for opening that morning.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The murder you've all been waiting for is ahead. Enjoy~

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Tuesday, February 8th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

As he said he would, Anthony bought his train ticket and went back to the hotel to start preparing.   
There wasn't much to be done so it was relatively quick and easy.  
He made sure to rest as much as he could that night given the task at hand the next evening. He woke up the next morning to the streets crowded and loud, filled with people in some fancy getups. From what he could see from his window, this event was _huge_ down here.  
With a smile and a deep breath, Anthony took a moment to watch the street from his window. He still had quite a bit of time before he had to leave for the hit, so he decided to get himself ready to go out and do some exploring.  
Upon getting out to the street though, Alastor was right. It was hard to move around with all of the people. It almost reminded him of home.   
He decided not to go out after all, just in case he couldn't make it back in time to grab what he needed, so he just spent the day watching from above.

When the time finally _did_ roll around, the blonde put on his coat, loaded his gun, put it and the silencer in his inner coat pocket along with the bottle of alcohol he brought from home and left for Congo Square, where they knew the target would be passing through to get to his little drinking hideout.  
Of course, as the day progressed, more and more people began flooding the streets. It was good that Anthony had kept to his word about leaving early, making it to the square just in time.  
  
  


The morning of Mardi Gras and Alastor was up early. It was already quite warm out and the day had barely begun as it was.   
Dressed as dapper as always, the butcher opted not to wear his jacket that day, settling for just a shirt, pants and waistcoat.  
Given the statewide celebration, most businesses around the city area were closed, the butchers that Alastor worked at included, which was great news for him, of course.

For the majority of that morning, with his mother off until the late afternoon, Alastor and Amélie walked around the main part of the city along with a few long time friends of theirs.   
When it was almost time for Alastor to meet with Anthony, he set off towards the square, leaving his mother with her friends to enjoy and celebrate.

It didn't take Alastor too long to reach the square since he knew a few alternative routes, and when he did, he immediately began to look around for Anthony. It was a very big day for both of them.

Anthony had taken his coat off for the time being and perched himself up in a tree while he waited for Alastor to show up, which took less time than he thought.   
He couldn't help the smile that was on his face as he waited for the man to draw closer before hooking his legs on the branch he was on and swung back, dropping down to hang upside down in front of the man with a wide smile.

"Ciao, Sorrisi!"  
He grinned, eyes twinkling.

Alastor was quickly able to spot Anthony from a distance in the tree. If he hadn't of been looking for him, he wouldn't have seen him of course, but the Italian had already gotten the jump on him once before from that same tree.   
But if there was one thing he hadn't been expecting, then it was for Anthony to suddenly swing down inches away from his face, dimples in his cheeks very visible from his bright smile.

"Why, you're certainly looking cheerful today. And what a wonderful smile you have indeed!"   
Alastor chuckled, taking a step back to allow Anthony to jump down.

Anthony let out a small laugh as he reached up, grabbed onto the branch, and unhooked his legs, coming down from the branch rather easily.  
"Grazie, t'day's a beautiful day for a murder, wouldn't 'cha say?"  
He replied as he made sure to grab his coat, the smile still wide. He was so happy to be taking someone out that truly deserved it.

Alastor's smile couldn't falter at that, the man nodding.   
"Isn't every day a beautiful day for murder?"   
He chuckled through that wide grin of his, absolutely not joking in the slightest.

"So, we're gunna go take the trash out, then go t' the hospital and get those documents. Gotta get the stitches outta my arm anyway, so we got a good excuse t' be there."  
He stated, clarifying the plan as he put his coat on, making sure everything was still in the pockets.

Anthony's plan seemed faultless to Alastor, and he had planned and executed a fair amount of murders in his time- some more entertaining than others, of course. Grabbing Batallier's documents was going to be the icing on the cake.   
"Ah yes, and how _is_ your arm? I suspect there will be a scar there, but it should all have healed well?"

"Oh, it's fine. Ain't the first scar on my body and it ain't gunna be the last."  
The blonde replied with a shrug as he patted his left arm.

Alastor at least knew that to be true. When he'd first seen Anthony without a shirt on the day he'd fallen in the river he'd been somewhat shocked yet intrigued at the same time to see the few scars the man had upon his body. 

"It's a great day, Smiles. A very very great day."  
He muttered as he looked around.   
"Just gotta wait for him t' pass through and we'll be on our way."

"Hm yes, I can't imagine he'd be too long. He most likely wants to start drinking as soon as he possibly can, and with such a celebration, I don't blame him really."   
Alastor laughed.

Anthony chuckled lightly, choosing to ignore his sadness that his time here was coming to an end.  
"So, what 'cha gunna do? Just sit back and watch?"  
He asked, taking one more look around before looking up at Alastor.

Alastor looked down at Anthony with a shrug as the other looked up at him.   
"Perhaps. Your style of killing isn't to my taste, unfortunately; and while I would relish in killing the scum my _own_ way, I understand for your family, you have to do this yourself. So yes, I suppose I shall sit back and watch for this one."

"Y' ain't even _seen_ my way, so how can y' be so sure? I think y' might find it kinda interesting."  
Anthony shrugged.  
"Shoot 'im in the knees,"  
He began, making a gun with his fingers and pretended to shoot Alastor in the knees.  
"Then the shoulders,"  
He then pretended to shoot him in the shoulders.  
"And finally finish 'im off with a point-blank shot t' the forehead."  
He then raised his finger gun to Alastor's forehead.  
"If we really wanna get snazzy with it, could cut out his tongue or take his eyes out, but I feel like he really ain't worth that much effort."  
Anthony shrugged again, lowering his hand to his side again.

Alastor listened with narrowed eyes, gaze following Anthony's hands as he pretended to shoot him for the explanation. The explanation that was beginning to intrigue Alastor more and more. It seemed that perhaps he was more brutal than he had first guessed and presumed.

He then decided to give the blonde a little insight into his own killings, something he hadn't really done before. He never really even talked about them with Rosie either.   
"Hm, I prefer to not usually kill in one specific way or leave any sort of similar markings on my _chosen_ victims. After all, what's the point when I don't intend for anyone to ever find their bodies?"   
He chuckled rather lightheartedly.

Anthony smirked and gave a small nod.  
"Well, we want our victims t' be found. We only kill t' send a message and we can't get that message out if the body ain't found."  
He explained.  
"'Cause you're freelance, y' got more freedom."  
He added, glancing around again and then down at his watch.   
Looking up again, Anthony's eye was caught. Their target was just entering the park to cut his way through.

"Well well, wouldja look at that."  
He smiled, leaning against the trunk of the tree, playing it off as if he and Alastor weren't just talking about him or anything other than casual plans for the evening.

As Batallier passed them, Anthony gave him a nod.  
"Evening."  
He muttered.

"Evening, gentlemen."  
The target replied on his way by, completely unsuspecting.

Alastor noticed Batallier just as Anthony did, his smile only widening as the man passed them and wished them a good evening. His eyes continued to follow Lawrence as he walked on.

"Look at him."   
Alastor spat between clenched teeth as he smiled.

Anthony kept his eyes on the man as well, a knowing smirk on his face.  
"Oh don't worry. I see 'im clear as crystal."  
Anthony hummed, waiting a few moments before pushing off of the tree and started following the target, eyes glued to the scum.  
Of course, they were going to have to wait a while yet, make sure he arrived at his destination, met up with whoever he was meeting, have some drinks and then take him out on his way home while the streets were still loud and parks cleared so any noises or screams he made would be drowned out.

Alastor didn't mind waiting a little while longer- he'd already waited weeks and for the day to finally come was enough relief within itself. He was certainly going to more than enjoy watching Batallier being killed by Anthony, and Alastor was certainly curious to see what the Italian was like _whilst_ killing.

The two of them slowly followed behind Batallier as he left the park and headed towards the location he used to quite often drink at.   
"While on the topic of alcohol, what kind did you bring with you for us to celebrate with?"   
Alastor asked, looking down at the blonde for no more than a second, wanting to keep his eyes on their prey.

"Oh ah..."  
Anthony looked into his coat pocket and turned the bottle to look at the label.  
"Some sorta whiskey. It's my dad's favorite so I took it from his personal store b'fore I left."  
He explained as he looked over the bottle a little more before neatly tucking it back and closed his coat, hiding the bottle and the gun.  
"Y' got a favorite kind?"  
The blonde asked, glancing up at the taller man for a moment.

A whiskey. Perfect. Alastor didn't have to think twice at Anthony's question, letting out a chuckle paired with a nod.   
"I am partial to whiskey, yes. It is my favorite on the rare occasion I get to drink."   
He explained.  
Before the alcohol ban, he had enjoyed a whiskey every now and again, and like much of the country, was heavily disappointed when the ban came around, yet, there were ways around it that even Alastor took advantage of at times.

Anthony gave a nod, glad that it was going to be something the butcher would enjoy too.   
Once they got to where they saw Batallier go in a dark and damp alleyway, Anthony gave a bit of a sigh.  
"Now I guess we wait."  
He sighed and looked around a bit.   
"So ah... y' wanna go down t' the river after? Dunno if the hotel would be a good idea."  
He asked, hearing music in the near distance from the festivities.

Briefly looking up and down the alleyway, Alastor slowly nodded before turning his attention back to Anthony.   
"Yes, I know quite a nice place that we can celebrate. Besides, the river is probably more scenic than your hotel room, haha."   
It would be nice spending one of Anthony's last days here with them celebrating together down by the water with a bottle of whiskey; he was quite looking forward to it too.

Anthony leaned against the wall and ran his fingers through his blonde locks. He left his cigarettes back at the hotel, a bit of a mistake but that was fine. He could live without them for a few hours, now whistling a tune as he checked his watch to keep track of how long the target would be.

Alastor too leaned against the wall opposite the blonde, arms folding over his chest. Hopefully the wait wouldn't be too long.   
But, as he _did_ wait, something came to mind. Something that Rosie had suggested to him that he still had yet to do. Of course, he had every confidence that _the_ Italian _would_ give an answer, so what was the harm in asking now?   
"I don't suppose you have something of a nickname back in New York?"   
Alastor slowly asked, observing Anthony's expression.

Anthony's attention came right to the butcher at the question, brow raised.  
"Yeah, I got one. Kinda stupid one but makes sense for a few reasons."  
He paused for a moment to make sure Alastor actually wanted to know what it was, seeing that he was still looking at him.  
The blonde looked away and took a breath.  
"It's Angel. Reasons bein' that my middle name is Angelo and the second bein' that I don't look like the classic and ideal family member. Dark hair, dark eyes, less pale, dimples..."  
He explained.  
"I look like the last person someone would suspect for a crime... like an angel, I guess."

Although a smile was still as it usually was, present on his face, Alastor couldn't help but frown slightly at Anthony's reasoning behind the nickname. He was glad that Anthony seemed to trust him enough to tell him, that was one thing, but the way Anthony explained it. It seemed quite sad really.

"Angel."   
Alastor muttered more to himself, mulling it over in his mind.   
"No."   
He then shook his head, standing up a little straighter.   
"I don't think you look any less ideal than anyone. I think your look is, naturally, perfect for what you do."   
There was no _real_ explanation for that. Alastor simply just thought so.

Anthony kept his eyes down on the ground, giving a shrug before looking at the taller man again.  
"Yeah, well, fortunately for me, I ain't good enough t' be basically sold into marriage and have a buncha rat kids runnin' round my feet, so that's a bonus for my deformities."  
He chuckled lightly.  
"Expectations are pretty low for me, which I'm kinda happy about 'cause as far as I'm aware, I've surprised everyone."

Of course, Alastor didn't know much about the mafia and its expectations, however, he could certainly imagine and come up with theories of his own.   
"Perhaps it's a good thing then."   
The man shrugged, tilting his head slightly.  
"Surprising people is always _such_ fun. And if you do not want children, then maybe you looking the way that you do in comparison to other family members is a good thing."

"That's how I've been lookin' at it. If I looked like everyone else, well, things would be _a lot_ different. Got my mom t' thank for that. She was like me and my sister."  
Anthony smiled a bit, remembering bit of her before her passing.  
"Foul play though."  
He shook his head, smiles faltering.

Alastor knew that Anthony's mother had passed when he was young, but he still had yet to find out what exactly had been the cause of that. The fact that the blonde was _willingly_ bringing that up now was also intriguing to him.   
"Foul play?"   
Alastor repeated, reaching into his back pocket for his cigarette box, holding it open for Anthony. He'd noticed that the other didn't have his own on him.

He gave a nod and graciously accepted the offering.  
"Someone probably ordered a hit. I've been tryna figure out who but I have a feelin' it's 'cause Maria and I look like her."  
He explained as he took a match and ran it over the bricks of the wall he was against to light it before lighting the cigarette with it.  
"Huge disadvantage, seein' as it makes my dad look bad, havin' kids like us."

"If your father knew it would soil his image, then why have children in the first place? Or at least, why have children with your mother?"   
Alastor quickly responded, lighting up a cigarette of his own and putting the small box away in his back pocket again.   
"And more importantly, how would your father allow someone to go through with a hit put on his wife? Surely he would have known about it?"

Anthony shook his head and shrugged.  
"Gio turned out just fine so I can only guess he thought the odds were in his favor. We were born with dark hair but around two years old, it started to get lighter and lighter. He tried t' hide it from what I can remember."  
He paused, taking a drag.  
"Mom had the same thing happen. She was adopted and showed promise of havin' the ideal features but as she grew older she became less and less ideal. Dad only ended up with her 'cause no one would take her. Her mother literally _begged_ my dad t' take her seein' as he was the last in line t' get married off."  
The blonde smirked and shook his head with a small chuckle.  
"Just a huge mess, y' know? Doesn't matter now 'cause it's all done and over with. Can't take any of it back."

It was almost surreal, hearing something like that, but Alastor knew that it was very much true. For him at least, this confirmed his theory that Anthony was a part of a mafia family, even if he still had yet to verbally and outright say it.

"Hm, yes that does sound quite messy."  
Alastor slowly nodded, knowing that Rosie would be most pleased and intrigued to know all of this no doubt.  
"But it's as you said. You can't do anything about it now- all is said and done."

Anthony fell quiet now, thinking all of that over again now that it was all in his head. The more he thought about it though, the angrier he got, so it was probably a good thing that this topic came up just before a hit.   
There were things about his mother's death that had him suspicious and the more he thought about it, the more one of his theories made sense, but also made less sense at the same time.

During the silence, music continued to play in the near distance and joyful laughter and shrieks could be heard. That was until a door opened and Batallier stepped out again, bringing Anthony back to the current situation.   
He looked to Alastor and gave a small nod, reaching into his coat pocket to pull out the gun and silencer to get it ready as they began to follow the stumbling drunk.

Alastor watched as Batallier left the building he'd been in, scoffing a little at the drunken and pathetic state the man was already in, and not too much time had passed either.   
"How foolish."   
Alastor muttered, pushing off the wall as they began to follow Batallier out of the alleyway.   
"You would have thought someone like him would have been able to handle his alcohol, but I suppose not. He's pathetic at that too it seems."

"Well, depends on what he had and if he's eaten anythin'. I'm assumin' he's comin' right from the hospital, so he's probably on an empty stomach."  
The blonde observed as he checked to see that he still had the six bullets loaded, then screwed the silencer onto the end with a casual hum, glancing around.   
It seemed that everyone was on the main stretch of the city, so this part was near deserted.

As they followed the target back through Congo Square, Anthony took one more look around before taking aim at the drunk's right leg, taking the first shot, Batallier letting out something of a howl as his leg buckled and he fell to the ground.  
Anthony cocked the gun to replace the bullet and shot the man in the back of the other knee once he had a clear shot, another loud shrill of pain following.   
There was no one around and there was far too much noise coming from the celebrations that Batallier wouldn't be heard.

Every silenced gunshot and the loud, pained sounds were euphoric to Alastor's ears, knowing that the bullets were lodging in Batallier's body, ripping through his flesh and causing him to instantly bleed out.   
For all the pain and misery Batallier had caused his mother and many other women over the months, perhaps even more, this was finally putting an end to that.

Once he caught up with the struggling man that seemed to be trying to crawl away, Anthony used his foot to kick the scum onto his back, pulling the hammer again and took aim for the target's shoulder, shot, pulled the hammer back, and shot the other shoulder.  
Anthony's face was empty of emotion. No hint of a smile, no sign of pleasure, just a bored expression as he stood over the target as the man writhed on the ground and began sputtering French; likely a plea for his life.  
The Italian ignored Alastor's building chuckles in the background.

Again, Anthony just watched as the man continued to bleed red on the path before cocking the gun once more to take the final shot.  
"Saluta il diavolo per noi. Non puoi più ferire nessuno."  
He said calmly as he pulled the trigger, the bullet entering the very center of Batallier's forehead, brain matter, and blood scattering across the pathway.

As Lawrence fell and flailed around in pain at every precisely placed shot, Alastor slowly found himself laughing, doubling over, hands resting upon his knees as he bawled with laughter in the background, a dangerously wide smile stretching the corners of his mouth as he stared right into Batallier's soon dead eyes, the blood from the kill and the brain matter staining the ground. The blood that dripped down was as relieving to him much like a heavy rainfall after a drought.

Everything had been leading up to Alastor seeing this. This _masterpiece_. This _work of art_. This stage of entertainment that was for Alastor's eyes and Alastor's eyes only.   
He wasn't even a hint mad that he hadn't made the kill himself. Simply _seeing_ it did it justice enough for him.  
Anthony's kill may have been emotionless- perhaps even _tame_ in comparison to some of Alastor's kills, but that didn't make it any less beautiful.

Anthony turned back towards Alastor and gestured him to follow.  
"C'mon. No point in stickin' around unless we wanna get caught."  
He stated, tone calm and indifferent as if he was just picking up a box of cigarettes from a shop, then turning back around to continue out of the park, actively avoiding stepping in the crimson liquid as to help leave no traces.

News about this would be published by tomorrow or the day to follow since the murder took place in the middle of a public park. Once the evening's celebrations came to an eventual close, someone was bound to stumble upon the body and report it immediately; and because of Lawrence Batallier's status as a powerful man, that would make the news all the more eye-catching.

"Gotta get t' the hospital, then we can go celebrate."

Taking a deep breath to calm his laughter, Alastor slowly gathered his composure and stood up properly, the two of them quickly exiting the park and heading towards the hospital.  
He walked with a spring in his step, his smile physically hurting his cheek muscles from how wide it was and how wide it was going to stay. He was ecstatic, and nothing was going to bring his mood down.

The hospital visit was fairly quick. Not many people there that evening so it was easy for Anthony to go in, get the stitches removed, and grab the papers he needed before leaving. Luckily they didn't run into Alastor's mother in the process. There was a lot of documentation that proved Batallier was guilty.

While Anthony got his stitches removed and went up to steal the documents, Alasror decided it would be best if he waited outside. Again, he didn't much like hospitals and avoided going into them as much as he could.   
When Anthony returned, the two of them were on their way.

Alastor knew a good spot that wasn't too far out of the main center of the city but was quiet enough for no one to see them drinking. They didn't need to travel there by boat or anything, so that was a plus.

On their way towards the river, Anthony turned to Alastor with the same calm expression he wore during the hit.  
"Can I ask y' somethin'?"

Looking across at Anthony as he spoke up, Alastor slowly nodded.   
"By all means."

"Why do y' laugh and smile so much?"  
He asked.  
"I know the guy was a piece of shit and it was a huge relief t' kill 'im off, but why'd y' react like that?"  
Anthony's tone was still very calm and bored as he spoke, looking up at the other man.  
"It ain't that I think it's a bad thing, it's just... new."

It wasn't the sort of question Alastor was expecting, but he supposed it made sense. He'd just burst out in manic laughter as he watched a man die, so it was to be expected that Anthony would ask _why_ that was.   
"It's _strange_ , isn't it?"   
Alastor began, looking down at the blonde with a smug smile, keeping his tone just as calm as the other's now.   
"It's okay, you can call me what you want. I don't mind."

There were a few more moments of silence between them as they walked away from the main epicenter of Mardi Gras and everything that was happening, the environment around them gradually getting quieter and quieter.   
"It's... because of something my mother said to me a long time ago. At a time where, like with Batallier, she was... struggling."   
Along with the calmness in his voice, there was also something else there. Something almost sad.

Anthony stayed silent, glancing ahead at where he was going for a moment before looking back up at the taller man.  
"Y' don't have t' tell me any of this. Just say it ain't my business and move on. I get it."  
He figured he would clarify that for him just in case it was a sensitive topic, having picked up on the hidden tone behind his words.

Shrugging slightly, Alastor just hummed.   
"Well, you asked why, and I gave you an answer. If I hadn't wanted to tell you, believe me, I wouldn't have answered."   
He explained simply, clearing his throat before pointing to a corner for them to turn at the end of the street.   
"But yes, there is your reason."

Anthony gave a nod and decided to keep his eyes forward and mouth shut now for the rest of the way.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday, Eighttale!

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Wednesday, February 9th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

As they approached their destination, Anthony looked around. There was still noise coming from the main stretch of the city but it was faint. He looked to his watch quickly, seeing that it was just past midnight, which meant it was now the ninth.  
Taking a breath, the Italian looked up at Alastor and then approached a fine-looking tree for them to drink in, jumping up to grab the lowest branch and pull himself up.

"Alright."  
He sighed as he got comfortable on the branch, pulling the bottle out of his coat pocket with a bit of a smile.

When it came to climbing trees, Alastor would say that those days were long behind him. However, as he watched Anthony easily jump up there, Alastor quickly followed after, not having to reach up very much to grab the branch before he pulled himself up too.  
As he climbed though, he almost wished he could simply snap his fingers to appear effortlessly upon the branch instead of foolishly climbing.

Pulling his cigarette box out of his pocket and placing it to the side so he could sit properly, Alastor too got comfortable against the trunk of the tree, one foot on the branch beneath him, the other hanging down.

"Okay, show off."  
Anthony muttered with a roll of his eyes and a small smirk, moving up a branch as well so they could be more or less level. Once comfortable again, he removed the cork from the neck of the bottle with a hum, passing it over to the other man.  
"Here, you take the first sip. Make sure y' like it."

Alastor laughed a little at that, taking the bottle with a nod and looking over the label it had on it with a hum of satisfaction.  
"Oh, I'm sure I'll like it regardless of what it is."  
He smiled, taking a swig of the whiskey, eyes squinting a little as he swallowed.  
It had been a while since he'd had any alcohol to drink, so it tasted stronger than usual to him, but was still nice. 

Passing the bottle back across to the blonde, Alastor sat up a little.  
"We should toast."  
He began.  
"To the death of Lawrence Batallier. May his downfall bring joy to us all... and since I do believe the time is appropriate, given the height of the moon, a happy eighteenth birthday to both you and your sister, Anthony."

Anthony reached for the bottle but stopped with his hand around the neck, looking at the butcher.  
"Tsh, was hopin' y' wouldn't remember... but thanks."  
He sighed as he took the bottle and took his first sip, let out a small cough as the burn hit his throat.  
"Christ-"

Alastor couldn't help but smile a little more at Anthony's reaction. Of course he would, Anthony had remembered his after all.  
"Well, you remembered mine, and yours is important too."  
He watched as Anthony took a sip of the drink, chuckling a little at his reaction.  
"It _is_ quite strong, isn't it."

The blonde nodded a bit but took another swig before passing it back.  
"Can see why my dad likes it so much."  
He stated.  
"But if we're toastin' t' things, I wanna make one for you. I couldn't have done half this stuff without ya and your company through it all was great."  
He added with a small smile before looking up further into the tree, seeing the moon shining through the leaves.  
"There's a lot I should thank ya for."

Alastor nodded at Anthony's toast to him as he took another sip, really feeling the burn that time around.  
"Well Anthony, there's a great deal I should thank you for as well. Whether you knew it or not, I have thoroughly enjoyed having you around. Every second of it."

"Don't go as far as sayin' _every_ second."  
Anthony sighed, looking away as he remembered his mistake. He was certain the man didn't quite enjoy those few seconds of his company; not that it was going to matter. They moved past it and everything was coming to an end, so everything of the last few weeks would eventually be forgotten by both parties.

Alastor quietly observed Anthony as he took another drink, eyes narrowing. Anthony didn't say it, but he could pinpoint exactly what he meant.  
"No, I disagree."  
He spoke up, shaking his head firmly. He knew it was more than pointless, especially with Anthony leaving in a few short days, but it didn't matter- Alastor still felt like he had to say something so that the whole journey he'd been on with everything wasn't for nothing.  
"I enjoyed _every_ second with you. Even the ones that you think I did not."

Anthony became silent, keeping his eyes on the ground below.  
Maybe he had just forgotten about it entirely?  
Whatever the case was, he wasn't going to accept the idea of Alastor _actually_ enjoying what had happened, the fact he returned the kiss at the time meant nothing. It could have just been reflex or something along those lines. Nothing more.

He chugged back three gulps before passing the bottle off again. It probably wasn't the best idea considering he was quite thin and hadn't eaten anything at all that day and hardly anything the day prior, going to feel it _much_ more than he usually would.

Taking the bottle with a nod, Alastor took one more small sip before putting it aside for a bit. He too hadn't had much to eat either that day and _had_ planned to eat something in the evening, but never really got around to it with the distraction of Batallier.

He decided to drop the topic of him enjoying having Anthony around since clearly, Anthony wasn't going to believe it.  
"So..."  
Alastor said after a few moments, glancing up at the other.

Anthony's attention was grabbed by the other's voice, looking to him.  
"So?"  
He assumed there was something he wanted to say so he held his own topic at bay for now.

Alastor didn't really have anything to say, he simply wanted to make conversation. The sound of the river water occasionally rippling and crickets in the grass were calming, as well as the silence that briefly struck between them, and it was a beautiful night. He was glad that they had been able to do all that they had and were in the process of doing that evening.  
Shaking his head in regards to his 'so', Alastor simply glanced back up to the moon.

Anthony waited patiently for whatever Alastor wanted to say but when the shake of his head came, the blonde tilted his head slightly and then looked up at the moon as well for a moment and then back at Alastor, seeing the moonlight hit his eyes in such a way that they gave a small twinkle.  
"Ain't 'cha gunna say somethin' or... was that more t' break the silence?"  
Anthony asked with a bit of a laugh, shaking his head a bit.

Catching Anthony's eye, Alastor's smile grew a little more as he began to laugh slightly, reaching for the alcohol and taking another swig.  
"The latter I'm afraid. I think it's far too much of a pleasant evening for awkward silences."  
He chuckled, letting his head rest back against the tree trunk, eyes briefly closing.

The blonde raised a brow. He didn't find the silence too awkward himself but shrugged and leaned forward on the branch, with his elbows on the bark.  
"Alright, well, uh..."  
He didn't really know what to say. He had something in mind but wasn't sure if this was really the time or the place for it... or if there ever _would_ be in the future.  
"Y-... hmm..."

With his eyes still closed, a smirk found its way onto the butcher's face as he listened to Anthony begin to say something, and then simply stop.  
"Yes?"  
He asked, opening an eye to look towards the Italian again before closing it again.

The strength of the alcohol paired with the fact that he had barely eaten either that day was perhaps not a good mix, Alastor already starting to feel a little woozy.

Anthony licked his lips as he tried to come up with the proper words. What if he brought it up and Alastor really _had_ forgotten?  
Pinching the bridge of his nose and lowered his head, he took a breath. You would think the alcohol would have helped loosen him up at least a little.  
"I dunno if... ah..."  
Maybe if he said it in Italian first he wouldn't feel so weird about it, maybe gaining the confidence to repeat it in English after so Alastor could actually understand.  
"Hai dimenticato il bacio? O ti è davvero piaciuto? Perché hai fatto un bacio indietro, di cui sono confuso."

As Anthony began to speak in Italian, presumably asking his question, Alastor slowly opened his eyes, using his hands to push himself up a little more as he looked at Anthony in plain confusion.  
"You know, I would appreciate it if you asked me these things in a language I can understand."  
He spoke lightheartedly.  
"Or maybe you've run away with yourself again and hadn't realized?"

Anthony rolled his eyes and shook his head.  
"I ain't drunk enough for this..."  
He replied as he reached for the bottle again.

Laughing a little more, partially due to the alcohol, Alastor just shrugged again and passed the bottle over. He _was_ still curious as to what Anthony had meant though.  
"Well, maybe you should have brought _two_ bottles. It's half gone already."

"Yeah yeah, whatever y' say, Smiles."  
He sighed as he took the bottle again and took another swig.  
"Don't think I'll ever be drunk enough though, so..."  
With a sigh, the blonde looked into the bottle. He already said it in Italian so what harm could a little English do?  
"Didja forget about the uh... the little _mishap_ on my end? 'Cause y' kinda... sorta... gave it back and... I've ah... I've been real confused about it, y' know?"  
He looked to the man in front of him, his cheeks starting to heat up in embarrassment.  
"Never mind. It uh... it ain't important."

Alastor's eyes narrowed in the slightest as Anthony spoke, however his expression quickly became unreadable as he decided to play dumb for a bit.  
"The _mishap_?"  
Alastor repeated in mock, but believable, confusion, waiting a few brief moments before 'suddenly' remembering.  
"Ah yes. Yes, I understand what you're talking about now. The night at the park. Is that _really_ what you've been worrying about?"

Observing Anthony's face, Alastor picked up on the flushing of his otherwise pale cheeks, however, it could have very well been down to the alcohol.  
"But you're correct. I did 'give it back'. There's no need to be so coy about it. It is what it is. You _kissed_ me, and I _kissed_ you back. _Why_ are you looking into it so deeply?"

"How are _you_ so _calm_ about it?!"  
Anthony shook his head and did his best to avoid eye contact now as he fully sat up again.  
"I thought y' weren't like me and since it happened I've been goin' between 'absolutely not' to 'okay, well, maybe'."  
He explained with extreme exasperation.  
"I dunno what t' think and that's _all_ I've been thinkin' about. I feel like that's all I'll _ever_ think about. Wonderin' what any of it meant _if anythin'_. Obviously, it was a mistake on my part but y' didn't react how a normal person would. Y' never do, actually, and I don't get it."

"Anthony, I think we've already established that I am _very_ far from any normal person."  
Alastor added, chuckling. Sure, his exterior may have been collected and calm as it usually was at all times, but inside? Inside his mind, he wasn't much different from what Anthony seemed to be like right now. Everything was slowly coming together and Alastor had _not_ expected it to. He too was panicking, not really knowing what to say so simply doing what he always did. Trying to sound like he knew what was happening and had complete control over everything.

"My opinions on this were very... undecided, shall we say. I didn't believe that I _was_ like you and when you kissed me, I kissed back. I understand this is perhaps something of a taboo, men kissing men, but Anthony. I feel like I should say this now while I'm particularly drunk and sitting seven feet up in a tree on one of your last nights here. I _did_ enjoy it."

Anthony felt his breath leave his body yet again. It was like a knife in the gut but... pleasant? He didn't know what he was expecting but that wasn't it. He wasn't expecting this conversation to even come this far.

"You... enjoyed it... too..."  
He repeated slowly just so he could hopefully process it a little easier. He couldn't tell if he was being honest or if it was just the alcohol talking. Then he remembered that alcohol was basically a truth serum that worked on anyone and everyone. Drunk words are sober thoughts.

Anthony's eyes began trailing up to Alastor again as his mind started to shut down again now that he knew the man was being truthful. He was finally able to relax again.

Alastor watched as Anthony processed his hard-hitting words. He understood it was something else to process, given how _odd_ it was. How absurd and simply how this sort of thing never occurred. 

His green pools flicked down to look at Alastor's lips for a millisecond before flicking back up to his eyes, automatically starting to lean in towards him again, his free hand moving to rest against the tree branch they sat on so he wouldn't fall.

The butcher noticed the minuscule glance down to his lips and immediately, Alastor knew that this had gone too far to take anything back. It was going to happen again... and he was going to let it. Why? Because he wanted it to.

Alastor felt his Adam's Apple bob as he swallowed, still tasting strong alcohol as he did so; and despite his slightly less alert state than usual, he began to lean in too, lips slightly parted, gaze locked upon Anthony. Much like last time, it was happening again.

As they drew closer, Anthony wasn't in a panic and knew he wouldn't be as Alastor leaned in too. He could feel his heart racing but not in a frantic and terrified way.  
He scooted a little closer so he wouldn't be leaned forward too far and be at a strange angle, bringing his hand up to cup Alastor's cheek like he had the first time, the other hand still grasping the bottle just at his side.  
The closer he got, the more he could feel Alastor's heated breath against his lips with the smell of alcohol burning his nostrils. Once they were a mere in away from each other, Anthony's eyes started to slowly close.

Alastor's breath hitched upon feeling the hand to his cheek, it all became very real to him once again. Yet, he embraced it, doing as he'd done last time, unsure what else _to_ do as his hand brushed Anthony's cheek in return, and finally, their lips met.

Alastor by no means had any sort of experience when it came to kissing another. His first had been with Anthony at the park those few weeks ago, so it was safe to say that despite his calm demeanor and supposedly gentle way of handling this kiss- he was awful at it. 

Anthony too had zero experience with any of this and didn't think he'd ever get to either, so naturally, he couldn't identify a good kiss from a bad one, not to mention they were both drunk on top of it all. He wasn't exposed to any sort of affection whether it be between lovers or family really, so he was doing what he felt to be _possibly_ right.  
Alastor was gentle much like the first time, which he appreciated, melting entirely into the touch against both his lips and his cheek with a soft hum. The taste of whiskey was still very much there on both of their lips as they tried to sloppily sync their movements.

It was similar, yet much different than the last time, Alastor felt. Of course, their last first kiss had been extremely brief in comparison to what was happening right now. Sloppy and rather drunken were of the few words that could be used to describe their kiss. But also infatuation.

Alastor's eyes were closed gently as he leaned forwards a little more, bringing his free hand to rest upon Anthony's bicep, lightly holding him as their lips finally found a rhythm that wasn't too bad.  
He was just about to pull away for air when their kiss was suddenly interrupted.  
His eyes went wide as the sound of laughter was picked up on, Alastor wiping at his mouth slightly as Anthony pulled them apart, Alastor pressing himself back against the tree trunk in somewhat shock.

Immediately Alastor was on alert, or at least as alert as he could be while intoxicated.  
Looking down, the kids slowly made their way over and settled at the base of the tree, seeming to not notice the two men above them.  
Bringing a finger to his mouth, Alastor made a shushing motion, signaling for Anthony to be quiet.

Anthony gave a nod and kept his mouth covered, slowly looking down as four kids gathered at the base of the tree.

"You know there's some guy that summons demons down here? I saw it once myself."  
One of the boys stated, sounding like a cocky little twit.

"You mean the one that does voodoo?"  
One of the girls asked.

"Yeah. He summons demons too. I saw it."  
The boy replied.

Anthony's brows furrowed slightly at this conversation, eyes looking to Alastor for a moment.

The butcher quietly listened to what the kids were speaking about, brows furrowing as he huffed the tiniest of laughs.  
It was almost hilarious.

"I heard him chanting. I think I can remember the words. The weird thing was that when the demon came up out of the ground, there was a sound of glass breaking."  
The boy's voice became a little quieter as if to sound scarier as he told his tale of hogwash.

Anthony looked at the bottle that was still in his hand and to Alastor again, cocking a brow.

Just as one of the boys mentioned the sound of glass breaking, Alastor made eye contact with Anthony and then the bottle, no doubt having the exact same thought. His grin widened a little as he nodded softly, still keeping an ear open for what other nonsense the kids were spewing.

Anthony quietly finished off the drink as not to waste any of it as the children continued.

"Oh, come on Jack, that sounds ridiculous."  
The other girl sighed.

"I'll prove it!"  
The boy exclaimed before clearing his throat and began muttering some sort of nonsense.

As this was happening, Anthony slowly and carefully began climbing a little higher into the tree now that the alcohol was finished.

Everything was silent aside from the bayou ambiance and slight breeze running through the leaves as the boy finished his muttering.

"I _told_ you it was ridiculous."  
One of the girls huffed after a solid minute of waiting.

Alastor was sat there silently chuckling to himself as the kids spewed absolute nonsense. He carefully watched Anthony in anticipation as he swung his arm back and smashed the bottle against the tree, pieces of the glass falling down to the ground as the loud shattering filled the air, the kids screaming and bolting as a result in an instant.

"I was only kidding around!"  
The boy supposedly named Jack shrieked.

Anthony couldn't hold his laughter after a few moments, making sure the kids were far enough away as he hugged the tree so he wouldn't fall out.

Alastor too couldn't bear to hold his own laughter in, leaning his head back against the tree as he almost cackled, bringing a hand to his face as he near cried with laughter, the alcohol only fuelling his hysterics.

Anthony gave himself a moment before moving back down to sit on the same branch as Alastor, still laughing.

"Stai bene? Are y' alright?"  
He asked through his laughter as he got settled on the branch just next to the one Alastor still sat upon, face a little red from his laughing fit that was still in full swing.

Alastor sat up a little as Anthony came to sit beside him, wiping at his eyes a little, still chuckling.  
"Yes, I'm alright."  
He huffed with a grin, running a hand through his hair before looking down at the ground. There was shattered glass right at the base of the trunk of the tree now, Alastor taking a mental note to avoid that when he came down out of the tree later.  
"My, that was quite the laugh! Summoning demons? What nonsense! Haha."

Anthony rolled his eyes and looked down as well, shaking his head with the smile still everpresent.  
"Kids are stupid, I swear."  
He sighed before looking back to Alastor.  
Their moment may have been ruined, but that made up for it.  
"Sure taught them, ah?"  
He chuckled, rubbing his face a bit, laughing a little more.

Nodding, the butcher let out a tired sigh, still laughing softly.  
"Sure did, hah."  
Indeed, their moment together had unfortunately been interrupted, but Alastor didn't mind too much. Scaring a few kids away with a convenient bottle smash was perfect.  
"So, we're out of alcohol now it seems."

Anthony nodded and looked up at the moon with a sigh.  
"Mhm. We should probably start headin' back soon."  
He said, words slurring as he looked at the man again.  
Taking a breath, the blonde scooted closer and placed a kiss to Alastor's cheek while he could get away with it.

It was getting quite late, and even though his mother was working throughout the night, Alastor had a few things to read back at home- that was if his slightly clouded mind allowed it.

"Yes, you're right. Be careful of the glass when you-"  
Pausing as the kiss was placed to his cheek, Alastor felt his cheeks flush slightly- a rare sight.  
"When you jump down."

Anthony gave a small laugh and kissed his cheek again but closer to his lips.  
"Y' act like we weren't just in the middle of somethin' before we were interrupted."  
He chuckled lightly with his words slurring all the more, the alcohol clearly making him cocky and confident, grabbing the branch they were sitting on and started carefully sliding down to the branch below and eventually to the ground.

Alastor found himself smiling like an idiot once Anthony had dropped down, the older man jumping down soon after he'd grabbed his cigarette box, making sure to avoid the glass.  
"It's just I'm not used to it. Tha's all."  
Clearing his throat as soon as he'd realized he slurred his words, almost sounding a little southern, Alastor looked back up again at the tree.  
"It's a nice tree."

Anthony laughed lightly and patted the bark.  
"It _is_ a nice tree. Hey, y' got your knife on ya?"  
He asked, getting an idea.

Reaching into his back pocket, Alastor pulled his knife free, waving it around.  
"Of course. Always."  
He smiled, passing it off to the Italian.

Anthony took the knife and opened it, turning to the tree again and started carving into the trunk.  
"Now this..."  
He began as he carved.  
"...this tree... is... ours."  
He said as he touched up a few things before closing the knife and passed it back, having carved 'A+A' into the bark.  
"No one can even _look_ at our tree without payin' a fine-"  
He was then interrupted by a hiccup but continued as if it didn't happen.  
"-a fine of a hundred thousand... _million_ dollars!"

Alastor chuckled a little as he looked at the letters that were carved into the bark, taking the knife back and putting it away in his pocket before walking over to the tree and inspecting the carving.  
Bringing a hand up to it, he ran a finger over the letters before glancing back at Anthony.  
"I could buy a whole lot with a hundred thousand _million_ dollars. The entire county is you wanted."  
He laughed a little more.  
"But money is worthless in the end. Like Batallier. Look at him! Dead, cold, and gone. Haha! Blood _everywhere!_ "

Anthony laughed a bit before gasping.  
"If y' bought it, there could be more trees like this! And then we could move this one there and we could... we... we could have more trees _just_ like it!"  
He exclaimed in his drunken excitement, patting Alastor's arm repeatedly.

Alastor chuckled a little more, noticing that Anthony was quite the hyper and energetic drunk it seemed.  
Taking the Italian's arm as he patted it, Alastor slowly began to drag him away from the tree, stumbling only a little.  
"So many trees."  
Alastor mumbled more to himself than anything.

Anthony pulled his arm away when he realized he was being pulled away.  
"Wait a second!"  
He practically whined as he stumbled back towards the tree.

Alastor watched as Anthony suddenly moved towards the tree, hugging it and placing a kiss over the carving. He thought the behavior was awfully odd, but alas, both of them were extremely drunk by this point, the alcohol having set fairly quickly. 

"I'm gunna miss that tree."  
The blonde sighed as he moved to rejoin the taller man.

"Me too."  
Alastor nodded, beginning to walk away from the tree in the direction of the main city once he saw the blonde make his way back over, taking care of not getting too close to the river bank. He presumed that Anthony was following behind him.  
"I'll walk you back to your room."

Anthony stumbled up behind Alastor, nearly running into him with a giggle.  
"You're such a gentleman, y' know that?"  
He couldn't help but grin as he linked arms with the other man as they walked side by side now, beginning to mutter sweet things in Italian.

Alastor gladly took the Italian's arm, helping him from stumbling any more as they slowly walked through the trees.  
"I know I am, yes. I'm glad you think so too."  
Alastor nodded, very close to stumbling over a tree root that was sticking out of the ground but fortunately missed it.

As they walked, Anthony gradually let go of Alastor as he noticed people coming into view, know that what they were doing wasn't acceptable even in a drunken state; _especially_ in a drunken state. He straightened himself out a bit and made sure to look as normal as he could.

Alastor understood why Anthony let go when he did, he too straightened himself out as best as he could, trying to not look as if he was drunk in case there were any police walking around during the city, which there usually were after an event such as Mardi Gras.

Once they got to the hotel, Anthony turned to Alastor with a smile.  
"Thanks for all the fun t'night, Smiles."

The man stopped, offering Anthony a smile back as he looked up at the tall building of St Charles.  
"Do you mind if I quickly come up to grab some water?"  
He asked, clearing his throat, still being able to taste the strong alcohol.

"Yeah, sure."  
Anthony nodded, heading inside and to the stairwell, not wanting to take the elevator because he had a feeling the operator would be able to smell the bootleg on them.

The rather bright light from being inside of the hotel didn't really help Alastor as he slowly managed his way up the stairs.

Leading Alastor up and to the room, Anthony got the key ready and unlocked the door when they got there, a few people still out and about inside the hotel.  
The blonde's clouded mind didn't seem to care at the moment though.  
Opening the door, he let Alastor in and closed the door once they were both inside, taking his coat off and put it on the back of a chair after taking the gun and documents out of the inner pockets, putting them into his suitcase.

Alastor emptied his pockets of his knife and cigarette box and placed them on a table before moving off towards the bathroom in the room.  
"I won't be very long."  
He sighed before stepping in and closing the door behind him.

Anthony waved his hand dismissively.  
"Ah, take your time. Ain't no rush."  
He replied as he started really examining the documents he'd acquired for a moment before deeming himself too drunk to care, making sure to put them in the bottom of the suitcase and disassemble his gun properly, putting the pieces with the papers.  
He then found his cigarette box and lit one up, so relieved to have one after a few hours, sitting down at the small table to finally decompress.

Once in the bathroom Alastor immediately went to splash some water in his face, wanting to try and sober up as much as he could before his journey home. He didn't want to seem drunk when he got on the streetcar that night.

It didn't take Alastor too long to freshen up a little and at least make himself somewhat presentable, and seeming slightly less drunk than he was.  
Soon enough he was exiting the bathroom, looking across the room at Anthony. He could at least hold himself upright, which was a plus.  
"Well, it's been fun."  
Alastor slowly spoke, pausing a second to gather his thoughts from a clouded mind.

Anthony looked over and stood, giving a nod as he set the cigarette down before walking over.  
"Yeah, it has. Thanks for everythin' t'night."  
He said as he put his hand on the doorknob, keeping his eyes upon the taller man.  
He really didn't want him to go, but knew he probably should.

Slowly pacing over to the table he'd left his knife and cigarette box on, Alastor quickly slipped those into his pocket before moving over to Anthony by the door.  
"And thank _you_ as well. Tonight truly was exceptional. _Every_ second of it."

A smile pulled at Anthony's lips, giving a nod.  
"I uh... I did too. A lot. Y' don't work t'morrow, do ya?"  
He asked as he opened the door and stepped aside for Alastor to be able to leave.

The butcher shook his head at that.  
"No, no work for me for another two days. Mardi Gras may only be one day, but I'll bet you every dollar I have that the city won't stop celebrating for a while. At least, the owner of the Butchers doesn't. And as a result, gave all of his employees the next two days off."  
But, Alastor supposed he'd be going. For some reason, he felt like he didn't really want to leave Anthony that night, but it _was_ getting late.

Slowly, Alastor stepped out of the room, giving the hallway a brief look up and down before he leaned forwards, capturing Anthony's lips in a small kiss.

Anthony wasn't about to decline the kiss, knowing Alastor had checked to see if anyone was around first. The fact that Alastor made the move first this time just made his heart flutter.

He couldn't help but smile as soon as it was over, looking up at the man with _that_ look again.  
"I'll come by your house t'morrow t' say my goodbyes b'fore I leave the next mornin'."  
He said, a hint of sadness in his words as he gave a final nod and slowly shut the door.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And yet another birthday in the Discord server! Y'all are spoiled this week.  
> Happy birthday, Eri!  
> ~Skip this chapter if you're not about sexual content~

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Wednesday, February 9th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

As soon as it was over, Alastor took a small back, willing himself to not say anything more as he watched the door close in front of his face. And that was that. 

Anthony waited a few moments, just staring at the door before opening it again and pulled Alastor back inside, shutting the door again and pushed the taller man against it.  
Wrapping his arms around his neck and standing on his tiptoes, the blonde brought their lips together again.

Before any regrets could fester _just_ yet, Alastor suddenly found that his lips were quickly reunited with Anthony's, as soft and warm as they were, the taste of whiskey still very much there.  
He didn't dare question why or even pull away because it was honestly _heaven_.

Anthony didn't know _why_ he was doing this, knowing Alastor needed to get going, but his mind was shutting down and taking what it wanted; and it wanted the man's lips. Nothing else mattered to him. He was leaving soon and he wanted to take advantage of the little time he had left.  
"Please don't leave..."  
He whispered against the butcher's lips softly before quickly returning to their sweetly heated kiss.

It was strange to Alastor, how someone would want this from him. For him to stay and not go. To want to be kissed by him, and for him to want to kiss back so much. Much more than he'd anticipated or ever thought of.

"I should be the one telling you that, Anthony... your presence inspires me."  
Alastor whispered back, breaking the kiss to do so before once again, his lips were back against the blonde's, a hand finding its way to Anthony's cheek, the other resting against the door behind him.

Anthony wanted to reply but, alas, he couldn't. The words caught in his throat and against Alastor's mouth. He had so much left he wanted to say but he couldn't say anything verbally, so his actions would have to suffice for the time being.  
Of course, the kiss was still a little sloppy, the both of them still being quite intoxicated, but it wasn't as bad as it was in the tree.

After a few moments more, the taller man had to pull away, panting a little for breath as he opened his eyes to look deep into the others, searching those pools of deep green for something.  
"I will stay as long as you allow me to."  
He murmured softly, using his hand that was cupping Anthony's cheek to gently rub his thumb against his skin.

The blonde leaned into the careful touch as he tried to catch his breath as well.  
"Don't tell me that 'cause y' might not end up leavin'."  
He chuckled lightly, a dimple forming under the man's hand as he smiled, keeping himself as close as he possibly could.  
"When I leave... wouldja wanna write? I dunno if I'd be able t' come back any time soon, but I'd definitely try t' find excuses. I don't wanna stop our communication..."  
He sighed, trying to get all of his words out while he still had them.

Alastor huffed a tiny laugh at the dimple he felt under his thumb, slowly letting his hand fall to his side so he could see it.  
"I would be honored to be able to write to you after your return to New York."  
He smiled, slowly leaning forwards off of the door, brushing himself down a little.  
"I don't want to simply forget you, Anthony. You intrigue me to no end."

Anthony's smile only grew at that, unwrapping his arms from Alastor's neck and instead resting his hands against his chest.  
"I have so much t' thank you for..."  
He sighed as he moved up to kiss the man yet again, being careful with it this time so it wouldn't be so desperate.

Alastor wanted to say _so_ much as well, but due to his intoxication and the fact that this evening as a whole had been quite overwhelming, he would wait to say it all just yet.  
This kiss was a little different than the one Anthony had just given him upon pulling him into the room. This one was softer and more controlled therefore less sloppy and sporadic. It was sweeter, and the hands against his chest felt grounding and nice.

Anthony held the kiss as his hands moved down to Alastor's, pulling him back towards the bed. He could feel his mind growing tired but his body was far from it. He had enough energy to run back to New York, so a restful sleep was unlikely to happen now; and Alastor didn't have to work the next day so he didn't necessarily _have_ to leave yet or for the rest of the evening. Of course, they would have to be cautious the next morning when they were leaving, but that was the last thing on Anthony's mind right now.

Alastor stumbled a little towards the bed as he was pulled to sit down on the comfortable mattress, the man giving Anthony's hands a little squeeze as they pulled away for air once again.  
"Are you really so attracted to me that you would take me to your bed?"  
He chuckled lightheartedly, running a hand through his hair, as their lips met briefly once again.

It wasn't like anyone would be missing Alastor that night if he wasn't to return home. His mother was working all night until the morning and he had nowhere to be in the morning either, so to stay the night with Anthony wasn't an issue.

Anthony felt his cheeks heat up a little.  
"Aye, I just figured that 'cause we're gunna be here for a while we might as well be somewhat comfortable-"  
He was becoming a bit flustered, unsure if what he was doing was right or even called for. Hell, none of this was right by society's standards, but it _felt_ right. Like a guilty pleasure. That's pretty much what this was.  
"I mean... ain't like we can do much other than kiss and... maybe somethin' else..."  
He trailed off, eyes wandering away from the man a bit.  
"Ah... never mind. Stupid. Too fast."  
He shook his head, laughing a little at himself.

Alastor raised a slight eyebrow at that, shaking his head as he got himself comfortable, removing the cigarette box and knife from his pockets once again.  
He was intrigued to hear what Anthony had to say, even more so now that he'd dismissed whatever it was.  
"Oh? And what _else_ might that be then?"  
Alastor asked with a smirk, leaning back against the headboard slightly.

Of course, Alastor knew the basis of what he was expected to do with a woman once married, but with a man? He hadn't really much clue. Never had he really had those thoughts relating to men- or _anyone_ really, so he supposed in some sense, it was a guessing game.  
Naturally, Alastor could of course at least make presumptions as to what _to_ do, but that was completely inappropriate and he kicked himself for even letting his mind wander in that direction.

Anthony shifted to sit in front of the other and took a breath.  
"Y' really don't know?"  
He asked in mild disbelief.  
"If that's the case I ain't touchin' that subject."

"Anthony, my friend, you wouldn't happen to be having any inappropriate _thoughts_ now, would you?"  
Alastor grinned even wider, his eyes narrowing- an indication that yes, he _did_ understand what Anthony was talking about.

With a shake of his head, Anthony moved closer to continue their kiss, having to set each knee on either side of Alastor's hips due to the way he was sitting. He saw no other way around it unless they wanted an awkward angle that could escalate things, bringing their lips together again once he was comfortable.

The butcher was quickly silenced by the lips that were quickly on his own once again, Alastor's brows jumping as Anthony slotted his knees either side of his hips. But even so, he melted into the kiss regardless.

Anthony held the kiss for a few moments before pulling away just an inch.  
"Me? Nooooo. I can tell _you_ are though."  
He whispered with a bit of a smirk, his cheeks still ablaze as he decided to be a bit of a tease and merely brush his lips against Alastor to see if he could get a bit of a rise out of him. He was _definitely_ feeling cocky this evening thanks to the booze, but not enough to go all out.

As Anthony pulled away, Alastor couldn't help but chuckle a little, closing his eyes for a moment, the alcohol still really affecting his ability to think properly.  
"I wasn't the one who brought it up and then decided to never explain."  
He grinned, leaning his head up to capture the Italian's lips again as he brushed them against his own.  
"You're quite bold after alcohol, aren't you?"

Anthony gave a small hum as their lips joined again, a smile finding its home on his face again.  
"Maybe I'm always like this but hide it. You'll never know."  
He purred in reply as he shifted a bit and froze; feeling something he genuinely wasn't expecting to feel from Alastor.  
Of course, he was just being a tease and the end goal was _maybe_ to get him hot and bothered like this but didn't think any of it would _actually_ work.  
"Y-You uh..."  
He couldn't find his words, having cornered himself yet again.

Alastor pursed his lips together slightly as Anthony purred, his cocky behavior seeming to do something for him as the blonde quickly discovered.  
Whether it was due to the alcohol or the heated environment, he wasn't sure.

Looking down at himself before his eyes found Anthony's again, Alastor chuckled slightly, sighing.  
"It seems I have a small issue."  
It really was no surprise, however, when this usually happened, Alastor mostly did his best to ignore it; but he had a feeling that wasn't quite going to work that evening.

Anthony glanced down as well, swallowing hard. Now that he was here, he didn't know what he was supposed to do. He could always do what he implied a few minutes prior but wasn't sure if that was going to be the _right_ thing to do or if Alastor would be willing.  
"Do you- ah... a-are you..."  
How was he supposed to word this? How was he supposed to ask? What even possessed him to think he was even remotely ready for this? Was Alastor even ready for this?  
Anthony muttered something in Italian, bringing his hands up to his face out of pure embarrassment.

Alastor's eyes flicked down and up to Anthony a few times, the man being able to pick up on the clear embarrassment that he was displaying.  
"Anthony, you don't have to do anything. We can simply lay here together."  
Alastor thought he'd remind the other, knowing that this entire situation already was beyond anything that even he had been prepared for.

"I understand that it's inappropriate. _Especially_ since we're both men and I apologize that this has happened."  
Alastor continued, slowly sitting up properly against the headboard of the bed, glancing off to the side, his cheeks flushed.

Anthony lowered his hands for a moment before bringing them up to carefully cup Alastor's cheeks.  
"No no no, non hai fatto questo. L'ho fatto."  
He replied quickly.  
"This ain't your fault. I kinda put this on both of us-"  
He then translated, sighing before continuing.  
"I... dunno what I'm doin' but... we could fix this if we _really_ wanted to. It's just us and I know _I_ ain't gunna say a word about it."  
He was still quite embarrassed about this whole situation, not sure what he expected to gain from pushing for this but would be fine with either proceeding to the next stage or simply disengaging. Of course, that would leave them both bothered but it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Alastor let his eyes close as he felt Anthony cup the both of cheeks. It was a strange gesture, having his face held and having someone be affectionate to him in this way, but he truly welcomed it. Never had he imagined that he would, especially with another man, but he didn't mind. It was Anthony; and as he'd said- Anthony infatuated him.

"I wouldn't dare say a word to anyone."  
Alastor smiled, slowly opening his eyes once again, shifting his hips slightly.  
"I also have no idea how _any_ of this works, believe me. But... perhaps we could see what happens? Satisfy that burning curiosity."

Anthony's cheeks became more red, going over their options. He knew of what was to happen between two men, the topic coming up at one point back home after someone within the Family was caught and killed. Naturally, he was left with not much detail but enough for him to get a good idea, and then later perhaps tried it for himself. When he did though, it didn't seem like the most enjoyable thing and wondered why anyone would ever like something like that; officially deeming himself unsuitable for such a life and became dedicated to suppressing his homosexual self.

"Well ah... h-how far do y' want this t' go?"  
He asked and then shook his head.  
"Never mind. We should probably just go with it and see what happens."  
He was nervous about this but if it came to that stage that he was so scared of, he would be willing to try it for this man. It had been at least five years since his first experiment so things might have changed since then. There was really only one way to find out.

Alastor himself hadn't had any sort of experience. He'd never felt like he wanted to, and even with a woman, that desire had just never been there. Of course, being a young man, he'd felt a desire similar to what he was feeling right now, but never with another person present. It was always just him by himself so he was certainly going to be curious, naturally.  
"I don't want you to do anything you're not comfortable with..."  
He nodded, hopefully making himself clear about that.

Anthony gave a soft smile, feeling there was nothing more he needed to say about it as he leaned in again, carefully bringing their lips together again in yet another kiss.  
His hips slowly began to move, having their bulges gently rub against each other through their clothes. Something that Anthony wasn't expecting was feeling Alastor grow harder. He was certain the man was already at full erection but that assumption was clearly wrong.

Just as slow as their lips moved against each other, as did their hips, Alastor's eyes closing once again more so in pleasure this time, rather than from the tiredness of the alcohol from earlier.  
Usually, this would have been fairly embarrassing for him, but considering the fact that Anthony too was visibly just as hard above him now, it didn't matter.  
Things quickly became hotter and hotter, Alastor's hands beginning to roam the front of Anthony's shirt a little.

The Italian let out a muffled groan into Alastor's mouth as he too moved his hands down from the man's cheeks and down to his chest, running his fingers carefully over each individual button as they continued to move lower, resisting the urge to just undo the buttons now to reveal the skin underneath the man's shirt.  
He stopped at the hem of his pants and started to move back up again, now starting to take off the bowtie that was settled around the other's neck so he could begin popping the buttons.

With Anthony working on his tie, Alastor took that opportunity to begin to undo Anthony's buttons of his shirt after he unclasped his suspenders, pulling them off of his shoulders and discarding them off to the side.

Pulling his lips away for a moment, Alastor helped pull his own bow tie off after noticing the Italian struggling a bit, tossing that to the side as well as working on the sleeve garter that was on his left arm, tossing that aside too.

With the tie now out of the way, Anthony gave a small 'grazie' before connecting their lips once again as his fingers started carefully prying the buttons out of their snug little openings; starting at the very top and slowly working down.  
He didn't dare look yet, keeping his eyes closed as he made it to the very bottom.

The blonde's hands slowly moved into the opening in the center of Alastor's shirt and pressed against his lower stomach gently, feeling the soft skin and firm muscles against his palms and fingertips.  
He pulled away slightly, eyes still closed, letting out a bit of a shaky breath as his hands began to trail up, the bumps and grooves of Alastor's stomach warm and welcoming to his touch as they moved up to his chest.

Alastor felt his breath hitch as soon as he recognized Anthony's warm touch upon his skin slowly moving up along the middle of his torso, his arousal growing more apparent by the second.  
Reaching down a little, the butcher brought a gentle hand to Anthony's cheek, rubbing the skin affectionately as he ran his hand slowly down to Anthony's collar, slowly opening the shirt and sliding it off of his shoulders.

Anthony started doing the same for Alastor as his hands moved further up his body, exposing his chest and stomach more.  
"Grazie, Alastor..."  
He whispered against his lips as they lightly brushed against each other.  
"Grazie mille amore mio..."  
He continued praising, giving the man's lips a few small pecks before starting to kiss down towards his jawline and eventually his neck, the gentle movements and wiggling of his hips continuing as well.

Alastor let his head tilt to the side as Anthony kissed down his jaw and neck. Every moment the blonde's lips touched, even brushed his skin, it felt like a beautiful fire, causing shivers to wrack his entire body as his hips ground up a little more, his own lips seeking out Anthony's skin.

"Dieu..."  
Alastor whispered, pulling Anthony down a little more so he could attach his lips to the Italian's lower neck, grazing his teeth against the thin layer of skin, sucking a mark to contrast his paleness.

The blonde didn't know what was just said to him but he assumed it was good considering the tone and breathiness of voice matched with the actions. His back arched slightly at the mix of sensations, deciding to give the same sort of attention that he was receiving; gently biting at Alastor's sun-kissed neck and pulling with a few soft moans as he pushed the shirt off of his shoulders and pulled it down off of his arms.

Alastor too finally let out a gentle yet low moan of his own at the gentle biting at _his_ neck as he pulled away from Anthony's, half-lidded eyes looking over the red mark he'd made with a smirk.

Anthony was then hesitant but let go and pulled away, his eyes opening so he could see the perfection of Alastor's body for the first time.  
Despite being drunk, he knew he was going to remember this image and these moments until the day he died, probably long after as well.

The butcher's eyes, once Anthony's had opened, immediately met the other's, noticing he was staring down at his body, something that Alastor did chuckle at slightly. In his opinion at least, his body wasn't much to behold. He was lanky, yet somewhat muscular, but again, there wasn't a whole lot to look at. Clearly Anthony didn't think so though which was flattering, of course. It certainly brought an even more flushed redness to the man's cheeks.

Anthony's eyes scanned over every millimeter of flesh shown to him. There were a few scars on his arms and four small parallel scars on his upper chest, gently running his fingers down along each one that was visible. As his eyes moved further down, he noticed two little freckles side by side on his lower left ribcage.

"Perfettamente imperfetto..."  
The blonde sighed, his fingers grazing down and across every bit of flesh right to the hem of Alastor's pants.  
He was a lot more calm now, feeling for once that something like this was normal.  
Alastor made him feel like there was nothing wrong with him. Like there was nothing wrong with _this_.

Alastor may not have known Italian, but the words Anthony breathed out were unmistakable, the man chuckling as he averted his gaze, his warm smile growing.

"Let me see you..."  
Alastor spoke, barely a whisper as he placed a hand on Anthony's shoulder for a moment, guiding him to sit up a little straighter as he began to look back over the Italian's body, trailing a finger along the man's jaw and down his neck and chest.  
Many clusters of light freckles littered Anthony's shoulders, he observed as he leaned a little closer.  
There was light bruising that matched the pattern of a fall just above the blonde's right elbow- everything was intriguing the butcher. It wasn't often he got to examine bodies like this.

What really fascinated Alastor were all of the unnatural markings and scars that _Anthony_ had on his body too. The scars he had noticed a few weeks back looked bigger in close person, leaving Alastor to wonder if there was a story behind them.

Gently taking and raising the blonde's left forearm up to his line of sight, Alastor ran a gentle thumb along what looked to be old cigarette burns dotted here and there. Once fresh, there were merely scars now.

Not only were there scars and freckles, but there was a small line running above Anthony's collar line where his face and neck had tanned slightly in the warm sun, his torso and lower neck not having done so due to being covered with a shirt for the weeks that he'd been in the city. It made Alastor smile for some reason.

Of course, Anthony had his insecurities when it came to his markings whether natural or otherwise, but he didn't mind letting this man see them. He was comfortably drunk and happy to be here at this moment.

He watched Alastor with nothing but great admiration in his green oceans for eyes. He couldn't feel any judgment coming from him and that just made him happier.  
Bringing a hand to caress Alastor's cheek, Anthony gave a content sigh.  
"How did I end up so lucky?"  
He asked softly.  
Everything this man was, was nothing short of perfect down to the very last detail. Even his imperfections were perfect.  
Anthony then leaned in once again and placed yet another gentle and careful kiss to Alastor's lips.

Alastor huffed a chuckle out at Anthony's flattering words, yet he embraced them all, tilting his head back, eyes closing in drunken bliss as their lips connected.  
"Perfection is a mere snippet of what positive words I could describe you as, Anthony. You truly do inspire every part of me. You intrigue me. You peak my curiosities and you made me realize where my attractions lie... thank you."  
Pressing a hand to Anthony's chest, very slowly did Alastor begin to slide it downwards, his fingertips brushing the hem of the Italian's pants.

The blonde let out a small huff, his smile widening.  
"The same goes for you though. Seein' ya all covered in blood that mornin' really woke me up in more than one way."  
He chuckled, cheeks warming again at the memory of Alastor in the morning light, covered in blood, a shiver running through his body at both the thought and the physical sensations.  
He then began trailing kisses down the man's jawline again and to his neck, nipping every once in a while as he continued to move further down; having to scoot his butt back a bit, causing more grinding to happen between them, and thus, another groan sounding from the blonde's throat.  
Kissing down to his chest, Anthony made sure to continue his little nips and nibbles here and there.

"Sono così fortunato~"  
He purred against Alastor's flesh.

"Hah, is that really what did it for you? All that time ago now?"  
Alastor laughed breathlessly, eyes closing briefly as Anthony ground down against him particularly hard, the nips and kisses to his neck only keeping his arousal heightened.

With his eyes still closed, Alastor felt around for the button at the top of Anthony's pants, his nimble fingers quickly undoing the button and began to remove the garment.

Anthony's breath became a bit shaky at the careful touch running down his body, sending a shiver through him. He pulled his lips off of Alastor and looked down as his pants were pulled at, so he brought his hands down and started working on Alastor's as well.  
Needless to say, he was nervous considering he could feel Alastor's size through their clothes, and so far, he was quite big.

Moving off of the man so they could properly remove the rest of their clothes, Anthony laid down beside Alastor, kicked his shoes off, and hooked his thumbs on the hem of his pants, lifting his hips as he pulled them down his legs and off completely. He made sure to leave his underwear on just in case, unsure if they were quite there yet.

As Anthony broke their kiss, Alastor wasted no time in sitting up a little, removing his shoes too, and placing them down on the floor before he properly took off his pants, managing to fold them neatly.  
His breathing was labored, body flushed as he leaned over back towards Anthony, cupping his cheek and capturing him in another kiss, the both of them now only in their underwear.

"Anthony..."  
Alastor whispered against the other's lips as he swiftly rolled so that he was now hovering over the Italian.

Anthony felt himself become weaker, submissive even, as he became trapped against the mattress, placing a hand over the one upon his cheek as he returned the kiss. His name being whispered calmed him even further.  
"Alastor..."  
He replied just as quietly, keeping his eyes closed as he pushed his pelvis upwards into Alastor's, craving that friction against himself again.

As soon as Alastor felt that burning friction between them once more, especially now since they had fewer layers on, he couldn't help but groan into Anthony's mouth, grinding his own hips in turn to increase the pleasure.  
It was unlike anything he'd experienced before, the arousal included- but Alastor supposed he was simply glad that he was experiencing this with Anthony of all people.

Anthony's back arched, pushing his chest into Alastor with a small gasp and a moan.  
"God, _please_ ~"  
He whimpered. He didn't know what he was begging for exactly, but it was likely the need for release.

Taking his hand off of Alastor's, Anthony began moving it downward to meet the elastic of their underwear, hooking one finger in the front of both pairs, pulling his hips away slightly so that he could easily pull them down to expose their needy erections to each other.  
Immediately Anthony felt the tip of Alastor's warm cock press against his lower stomach and his own manhood, causing his breath to suddenly catch in his throat along with any words he might have wanted to form.  
His body heated immensely at this new territory he never thought he would ever get to experience in his lifetime.

Alastor felt his toes curling, the muscles in his back tensing as the hot white heat emanating from his lower stomach began to build at the sensation of Anthony's erection pressing and sliding up against his own. Even if it was just the tip, it had Alastor enthralled and completely under this spell that left him only wanting more and _more_.  
He cursed quietly under his breath, a rare occurrence indeed, as he reached down to help Anthony in removing their underwear as he lowered himself further so he was only propped up on his elbow. With his other hand free and conveniently placed, Alastor trailed it up to Anthony's head, fingers tangling slightly in those messy blonde locks.

Hips bucking as Alastor pulled their underwear down, he realized he was fully exposed to Anthony. He couldn't hide- but he also didn't feel as trapped as he'd subconsciously feared. He felt safe.

Anthony kicked his own underwear off to the side and wrapped his leg up and around Alastor's hip, giving soft moans and whispering sweet nothings in Italian once he found his breath and voice again while grinding himself against the other. 

When there wasn't an ounce of material between them anymore, Alastor slowly opened his eyes fully to take a look at Anthony below him.  
The sight of their now freely leaking cocks grinding down against each other was really something else that seemed to make Alastor's cheeks warm all the more; their precum acting as a lubricant causing the grinding to become significantly smoother and more slippery.

The blonde took a breath and dared to open his eyes and follow Alastor's lead, looking down at their weeping phalluses.  
Alastor was circumcised, quite girthy, and long, while Anthony was not circumcised and slim, not nearly as long as the other man. If they were to take this to the level the blonde was so scared of, he would be in a considerable amount of pain given Alastor's size; something he didn't know if he would ever be ready for now. It was rather intimidating, Anthony gulping his nerves down to the depths of his gut as he looked back up to Alastor's face to hopefully distract himself from his running mind.

Soft pants and small low groans began to leave Alastor's mouth as he began to grind down a little harder, the hand that had been used to remove their undergarments slowly moved to take one Anthony's hands, giving it a small squeeze.  
"Anthony..."  
Alastor whispered again, however, there was a hint of desperation in his tone, voice mildly shaky. He wasn't sure if they were going to do any more than this or if they even could, but this was more than enough as it was.

Anthony gripped Alastor's hand gently yet firmly, hearing the tone which made his cheeks redden slightly more.  
"Alastor~"  
He replied with a moan, holding that same desperation in his words.  
"Tell me what y' want..."  
He added after a few breaths, wanting to do more for him if he knew that it was he wanted.  
The blonde then began peppering kisses and small, careful bites to Alastor's neck and throat in attempts to keep himself a little quieter.

Alastor's mind was a clouded mess. Fogged over with pleasure, need, intoxication- everything. He could barely even think, let alone _know_ what he wanted; but even so, he didn't really know what he wanted in the first place. It had everything to do with Anthony of course, but as they were right now was absolutely fine to him.

"You..."  
Alastor replied softly, letting go of the blonde's hand and slid it to Anthony's left hip, making sure to drag his fingers over as much skin as he could on the way, lifting his pelvis up off the mattress slightly so that they could get more momentum; which worked, especially with Anthony's leg wrapped tightly around the butcher.

Anthony's back arched, eyes widening slightly as he felt a strong hand lift his lower half up off of the bed. He didn't know why but he seemed to love the feeling of being picked up and moved around by a stronger, loving force; not to mention the reply he received. It just made him quiver as his body relaxed and let the man above him guide and control their movements to how he wanted.

"You already have me."  
The blonde stated as he wrapped his arms around the man's neck, pulling him into a deep and passionate kiss, hoping it would be enough to keep them both a little quieter.

Once again, Alastor let his eyes flutter closed as he listened to Anthony's soft voice, their lips coming together passionately, the kiss a little more controlled than the last ones surprisingly.

As they osculated, Alastor kept their hips rolling together at an even pace, the friction between them slick, the pleasure as a result slowly building for them both. He wasn't sure how much longer he'd be able to carry on for, every sensation, every touch feeling like fire by this point.

As time went on, the hotter and heavier things became, perspiration extreme and steam could almost be seen with every breath they took.  
Anthony was growing tired and weak, shaking and quivering with Alastor's hands on his sweaty body. He was getting closer as they continued to grind smoothly against each other.

"I... I can't-"  
Anthony whimpered.  
"I gotta let go~"  
He finished his sentence, quietly moaning and whimpering. The knot in his stomach was getting to be too much to handle; almost starting to hurt. He didn't want to cum until he knew Alastor was finished and satisfied.

It was no surprise that as Anthony came close to releasing, Alastor was feeling the same way. He was a groaning and sweaty mess, his hips grinding down at a much sloppier pace now as he came close to climaxing.  
"Me too... I'm close."  
Alastor responded breathlessly, having wanted to make sure that the man under him was close too; and now that he knew Anthony _was_ , that was all the clarification he needed. Grinding his leaking erection down against Anthony once more before he felt himself start to cum, the man having to capture the Italian's lips in yet another kiss to silence his moans in regards to the hot burst of pleasured release that suddenly wracked his entire body.

Anthony closed his eyes tightly, holding his breath to make sure no sounds accidentally slipped from his throat during their kiss as he let go of the tension within him, his nails digging into Alastor's back and shoulder as they both finally reached their orgasm together. The hot liquid spilling from their phalluses in something like a volcanic eruption against their stomachs, the intense release causing Anthony to quake from the top of his head to the tips of his curling toes.

As he began to come down from his natural high, Anthony's body twitched as their grinding came to a slow and steady halt, their peak steadily subsiding.  
He didn't dare pull away from the kiss though. Not until he knew that Alastor was ready. He loved the feeling of their lips on each other and wouldn't give it up for anything in the world.

When they finally came to a halt, their orgasms having subsided, Alastor collapsed on top of the blonde, letting go of his hip with one last groan of pleasure against Anthony's lips before he carefully pulled away.

Eyes closed tightly, the butcher panted softly against the Italian, feeling the heat just radiating off of him, both of their chests coming together with every deep gasp of oxygen they took.  
He was too exhausted to say anything, despite how much he wanted to say, but that was fine. Silence was enough for now; and it was a beautiful silence that symbolized everything they'd just experienced together.

Anthony breathed deeply and heavily, his eyes cracking open as he felt Alastor's weight on him. It wasn't unpleasant, and even if it was, he was far too tired to care.  
As they laid there, simply breathing and embracing each other, Anthony's mind started to clear, blinking slowly as he started to process all that had just taken place. A weak yet genuine smile started pulling at the corners of his mouth and pushed the dents in his cheeks to show as realization started to set in.  
Realization of how bizarre and wonderful the whole experience had been, thinking he would never get a chance to be with another man even remotely like this.

Letting his hands wander and rub against Alastor's back and arms, Anthony sighed.  
"Sono così felice... I'm so happy..."  
He whispered as soon as he found his voice again, making sure to translate.

Everything was sweaty and sticky between them, but Alastor, for now, didn't mind too much. Slowly as he regained his breath, he propped himself up enough so he could look down at the smaller man below him as a hand moved to one of Anthony's cheeks, rubbing a gentle thumb against once of his dimples with a breathless chuckle.  
"Perfection..."  
He muttered, letting his forehead fall to press against the Italian's.  
There was nothing more peaceful than this moment between them. But, as perfect as it was, Alastor knew soon they'd have to get up to clean up a little.

Anthony's cheeks dusted pink and his smile grew. He'd never been so happy and content before in his life.  
Sliding his hands up a bit, he began running his fingers through Alastor's dampened hair as he kept eye contact.  
"Can I say somethin' stupid and crazy?"

Alastor let his eyes close at the feeling of gentle fingers running through his hair, the man humming at Anthony's question.  
"By all means. Go ahead."  
He muttered, slowly opening his eyes to look down at the blonde again.

Something in Anthony's mind was telling him that saying something like this was a terrible idea and not to say it, but he knew he may not get the chance again.  
He took a deep breath and kept his eyes on Alastor while continuing to gently rake his fingers through his hair, keeping their eyes locked.  
"I think I love you."  
His stomach tightened once the words left his mouth, scared of the consequences to likely follow.  
Stupid.

Alastor raised a brow at Anthony's words, the man slowly nodding as he proceeded to gently chuckle as he looked away, almost blushing.  
"Hah, why, that's very sweet of you Anthony, darling."  
He smiled, taking the other's words as a compliment.  
However, as flattering as Alastor found that to be, he wasn't sure if 'love' was quite the word he would use to describe what he and Anthony had just yet. It was infatuation on his end by all means, and as he'd said many a time, inspiration; but, he found it hard to _love_. That would take him some time.  
"I don't think it's crazy nor stupid at all."

Anthony kept a smile and gave a small nod, leaning up to kiss Alastor's lips for a few moments before patting his shoulder with one hand.  
"We should clean up before sleepin'."  
He whispered once he pulled away for a moment. He hated the idea of moving but they were in no state to be falling asleep. There was cum sandwiched between them and they were both dripping with sweat. Not quite ideal.

Nodding, Alastor slowly looked down at the both of them, scrunching his nose at the mess they'd caused.  
"Hm, yes. You're quite right."  
He sighed, slowly rolling off of the Italian with a small groan, stretching his arms out slightly as he laid flat against the mattress.  
"You can use the bathroom first, Anthony. I shall wait out here for you to finish."

As he rolled off, the air attacked their deprived stomachs and chests, immediately cooling them.  
Anthony shivered a bit and started looking for the strength to move his legs. He hadn't experienced an orgasm like that before and it was really quite draining even minutes after.

"Ho bisogno di una sigaretta..."  
Anthony sighed, rubbing his face as he propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at his body.  
There was a lot of mixed ejaculate spread out on his stomach and lower chest.  
With a small huff, he pushed himself up and started shimmying to the edge of the bed, eventually walking over to the table in the room to grab a cigarette from his box, the previous one having burned out a long time ago.  
Once he was equipped with a lit cigarette between his teeth, he tossed the box to Alastor in case he wanted one too before ending up in the bathroom to cleanse himself.

"Thanks."  
Alastor breathed out from where he lay on the mattress, hearing the cigarette box landing beside himself just as he heard the bathroom door close.

A few moments passed before the man managed to sit up, his head throbbing as he did so. Reaching across for the cigarette box and pulling out one, holding it between his teeth before leaning up off the bed to reach the box of matches he had close by on a small table.  
Lighting up his cigarette, Alastor flopped back down against the bed again, his forearm resting over his eyes as he breathed in the smoke.

Eyes closing, Alastor simply took a moment to listen to everything around him. His breathing loud to him, and the sound running water from the bathroom being the only background noise except for the squeak of a floorboard from perhaps a room beside or above.  
It was peaceful.

Anthony tried not to take too long, knowing Alastor probably wanted to get cleaned up and on his way before it got even later. It was now nearly three-thirty in the morning and they both needed to rest. They'd had an exciting past few hours; the most recent events the most unexpected.  
He still felt stupid for saying that he loved the man that was still on the bed, at least out loud and to his face. It was clear that he was coming out of his drunken cockiness and about ready to enter the stupor stages.  
It was a struggle to hold himself up and keep himself awake. He could only hope he would still have the memory of the evening when he woke up.

Slowly opening the door, Anthony exhaled some smoke as he stepped out of the bathroom and over to his suitcase, pulling out a fresh pair of underwear and made his way over to the bed so he could put the garment on while laid down.

"Feelin' alright?"  
He asked tiredly.

Alastor was exhausted, however he hoped he'd be able to sleep well that night. Some nights, despite even how tired he was, he simply couldn't sleep at times.

"Uh, yes, I'm fine."  
Alastor responded tiredly as he listened to Anthony entering the room again, his arm still covering his eyes, cigarette in his mouth.  
"And yourself?"  
Slowly sitting up, he scooted over to the side of the bed, managing to stand on mildly shaky legs, the action of standing not doing him any favors in terms of the migraine he felt coming on.

Anthony sat on the opposite edge of the bed just as Alastor was getting up, sliding his legs into the underwear he grabbed and stood again so he could pull them up properly.

"I'm alright. Tired."  
He replied softly, making his way back over to the table to flick his ashes into the ashtray.  
"Made sure there's a clean towel for ya."  
He said as he put the cigarette out in the crystal dish, looking to the man with a small smile, hearing the sweet words Alastor had said to him during the last few hours echoing in his mind.  
Anthony really took them all to heart, never having heard someone say anything like that about him before.

"Thank you. I won't be long."  
And with that, Alastor began to make his way over to the bathroom, putting out his cigarette in the same crystal dish before entering the en-suite, the door closing behind him.

Quickly splashing his face with some cold water, the butcher began to run the water so he could wash.  
He'd enjoyed the activities he and Anthony had indulged in, however, he couldn't help but feel filthy as a result. It bothered him, but he wasn't going to let that get to him. He'd had a wonderful time with the man and that was all that mattered. He couldn't have asked for better.

It didn't take him long to scrub himself clean and free of filth; and with the clean towel that Anthony had left now wrapped around his waist, Alastor moved towards the sink.

Standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom, Alastor raised his chin, no expression on his face as he ran a finger down his neck across the small red marks that were dotted along his skin and extended down to his collarbone.  
"Hm..."  
He mumbled before swiftly exiting the bathroom, his torso and hair now pushed back out of his face, still slightly damp as he moved back over to the bed to dress.

While Anthony had the time to himself, he moved back over to the bed and stripped the duvet from the top. It was soaked in sweat and wouldn't be good to sleep with.  
Discarding it onto the floor, for the time being, the blonde crawled onto the bed on top of the sheets. He was determined to stay awake until Alastor had left, or perhaps that wouldn't be such a good idea; Alastor leaving now. If anyone was still wandering the halls at this time, they were sure to be suspicious due to the time. If they played it off as Alastor stopping by the next morning when they left, things should be fine.

Leaning himself back against the headboard, Anthony struggled to keep his eyes open but forced himself to. He wanted to make sure Alastor was alright and tell him to stay.  
Once the door opened and the man stepped out, Anthony sat up a bit and smiled softly, crossing his legs and opening his arms to him.  
"Vieni qui... come."  
He said softly.

Alastor smiled warmly in Anthony's direction as he looked down at him, taking a seat on the edge of the bed and leaning down to pick up his underwear. It would have to do.  
"I suppose I should be going."  
The man hummed, proceeding to then pick up the rest of his clothes from the floor, laying them out beside him.  
His head was still throbbing, every time he leaned down, there being a sharp pain at each of his temples.  
"You don't have to stay up for me, Anthony. Rest. I shall change and then make my way out quietly."

Anthony took the clothes that were laid out and started folding them neatly, setting them aside.  
"You should stay. It's late and if people are still out they'll make assumptions neither of us can risk havin'. Even if they _are_ right."  
He kept his voice calm and soft, knowing Alastor was going to be sensitive to sound and light by now considering that he was too.  
"Stay with me and we'll figure somethin' out when we wake up."  
He added, opening his arms to the man again.

Alastor paused for a moment, having to think about that for a second.  
What Anthony was saying _was_ true. No doubt, there would be people still in the hotel lobby who had seen the two of them come in, and if he stayed the rest of the night and made his way home the next morning, his mother would be asleep from her long shift anyway, so nothing would hopefully be suspicious.  
There was that, and the fact that Alastor feared that he'd pass out on the streetcar before he could even make it home.

"Alright. I'll stay."  
He quickly concluded, reaching down one last time to neatly put his shoes in a row before leaning back onto the bed, shuffling over to where Anthony had his arms open.  
"I'm exhausted."  
He sighed, head leaning against the other man's side for a second.

Anthony smiled a bit and got himself comfortable.  
"Let's get some sleep."  
He hummed, his eyes becoming heavy with every passing second.  
Staying close to the man, Anthony found himself quickly falling asleep with no way of stopping it as he began muttering inaudible nonsense as he became submerged in unconsciousness.

Alastor rolled over onto his side after a few moments of getting comfortable, unintentionally facing Anthony as he closed his eyes- a natural sleeping position for him, and with that, he began to drift. But, not before a small smile graced his face and he managed to squint his eyes open, seeing Anthony to already asleep.  
"Joyeux Anniversaire, Anthony."

His throbbing head didn't stop him and his occasional cases of insomnia didn't either. Alastor fell asleep quicker than he had managed in a long time. Whether that was down to the alcohol, or the person sleeping soundly beside him, he didn't know. And to be honest, he didn't care.


	23. Chapter 23

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Wednesday, February 9th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

With a bit of a headache and sore, tired muscles, Anthony began to stir.  
Now, usually, it took him a while to wake up completely, however, this morning was an unusual case.

As he slowly became sentient and aware, something was _very_ different about this. Not only did he feel someone next to him, but he was actually being _held_. He was laying on his stomach but was turned in a way that he was leaned on someone, pressed flush against... a man?  
Anthony noticed that his cheek was laying on a muscular chest, hearing the soft breathing and heartbeat.  
He then came to notice the man in question had an arm neatly wrapped around his waist, holding him in place.

Once he gained the courage, the Italian slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times to focus and clear the blurriness before trailing from the bronzed chest up to the man's spotted neck and to his face.

There lay Alastor. Holding Anthony. Peacefully sleeping- or... he assumed he was sleeping. He looked so calm, a very faint smile upon his face. It looked a tad strange for the butcher, seeing him without the prominent smile.  
Sometime during the night, he must have wrapped an arm around Anthony, causing the smaller man to roll into his chest, cheek flush to his torso.  
It was then that memories came flooding in of how they ended up like this. Visions of the events of the previous night and early hours of the morning before they did end up falling asleep filling Anthony's mind.  
Cheeks becoming flushed and breath suddenly being held, the blonde did everything in his power to remain calm so he wouldn't wake the other man. Lord knew how badly he needed to sleep.  
So, Anthony did his best to relax and embrace every bit of information and memory that his brain was providing him with.

Once he was asleep, Alastor felt there was nothing that could wake him up. He was out cold for the first time in a while, but there was no doubt that he needed it. 

When early morning came around, it was quite unusual for Alastor to be asleep so long, the man being one to get up quite early, however with the exhaustion from the previous night came a longer resting period.  
Stirring in his sleep as Anthony awoke, Alastor unconsciously held Anthony closer, sighing softly.

Anthony closed his eyes for a moment as he was given a gentle squeeze, shoulders raising a bit as he brought the hand that was resting on the man's chest up to gently examine his face.  
Brushing his fingers over the lips that he had kissed so many times already, Anthony couldn't help but smile. A few words came to his mind as he got a better look at this man.

A few minutes must have passed, Alastor quietly snoring away under the gaze of Anthony, before the older man began to stir a little more, bringing a hand up to his face, rubbing at his eyes.  
Groaning softly, the man began to slowly wake up, his vision blurred at first, but then the silhouette of another in his arms became visible. As his sleepy vision got clearer, the person who was in his arms became clear, Alastor giving a deep sigh as he remembered what had happened between them.  
"Morning..."  
He whispered, voice croaky and low.

Anthony couldn't help but smile more, seeing the man's expression change from tired processing to a content kind of tired. He was glad that he didn't react negatively.  
"Buongiorno bella addormentata."  
He whispered in reply with a small chuckle.  
"Sleep well?"  
He asked as he took his hand away from the man's face and set it against his chest.

Alastor huffed the tiniest of laughs, his head still paining him slightly, but not as much as it had been at the later end of the night previous.  
"Yes, I did sleep well, and I trust you did too?"  
He asked, shifting a little, stretching an arm out over his head, the other still around Anthony.

"I did."  
Anthony gave a nod and put his cheek down against Alastor's chest again with a sigh.  
If he was honest, he was worried about how Alastor was going to react when he awoke. He was glad it was a positive response.  
The blonde looked up at the man again and took a breath.  
"Got plans t'day?"  
He decided to ask, forgetting that they've already had this conversation.

Taking a moment to close his eyes, letting his brain adjust to the fact that he was awake now, Alastor slowly shook his head in response to Anthony's question.  
"No. The boss at work has the store closed for a few days after Mardi Gras. My mother will be sleeping most of the day, and so, I am free all day, and, might I add, it is _still_ your birthday."

Anthony gave a nod and brought his hand up to run a finger along the man's jawline.  
"What 'cha implyin' here, Smiles? I already got a damn good birthday gift already."  
He hummed, tilting his head down to place a kiss on Alastor's chest.

Alastor tilted his head slightly from where it lay against the pillow, humming softly at the kiss that was placed. The affection was nice and it made him feel something else. Something safe.  
"Haha, well _yes_ , but that's hardly a proper gift, hm? Let me take you somewhere. Even if it's simply for breakfast."

Anthony didn't need to put much thought into it, simply nodding.  
"Alright. I guess I can accept that."  
He said as he placed another kiss to the man's chest, a little closer to his collarbone this time.  
"Should get some coffee. Helps with the hangover."

Alastor smiled a little at that, knowing _just_ where to take Anthony for the perfect breakfast. It wasn't too far either, which was good.  
"That sounds exquisitely perfect right about now."

Watching as Anthony's lips continued to move up and found his collarbone, Alastor caught sight of a singular dark red mark that was on Anthony's lower neck. Trailing a finger up, the man lightly tapped the mark he'd created a couple of times.  
"You'll have to cover that one up somehow."  
He smirked slightly.

Anthony tilted his head a bit, giving a shrug.  
"Shouldn't be too hard t' do."  
He stated before carefully kissing up Alastor's neck and to his lips, smiling down at him for a moment before moving to his up on his knees, arms stretching out above his head and then out to the sides. With a bit of a hum, he scratched at his blonde hair as he looked around.  
"You're gunna have a helluva time coverin' yours. Sorry in advance."

Alastor watched carefully as Anthony stretched up, taking note of his every flexing muscle and the way the early morning light shone down on him through the small cracks in the curtains covering the window.  
"Hm, no I disagree. My smile distracts people from all!"  
Slowly sitting up himself, the man looked to the end of the large bed where his clothes were folded neatly at the end. They weren't clean, but at the same time, he didn't want to have to return home to change and then head back to the French Quarter again for breakfast. So for now, he would grin and bear wearing unclean clothes.

Anthony would have offered him something clean to wear too, but unfortunately everything he had was undoubtedly too small for Alastor.

"We don't have t' do breakfast. Don't leave 'till t'morrow mornin'. Could do lunch or dinner if that's better for ya."  
Anthony suggested, bringing his arms down to his sides again, looking at the marks he left on Alastor's neck and chuckling lightly to himself as he recalled placing them.

Alastor shook his head, standing slowly from the bed, his thighs and hips aching a little but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.  
"No no, I insist we eat breakfast somewhere. I know a perfect place, and I also know that both of us are in desperate need of some food."  
He smiled at Anthony over his shoulder as he grabbed his clothing, working on putting his pants back on first before slipping his shirt on, buttoning the collar up and simultaneously realizing that yes, much of his neck was still exposed.

Anthony slowly followed Alastor's lead and rolled off of the bed, walking over to his suitcase and pulled out a fresh set of clothes. He glanced at the butcher and raised a brow, seeing just how much could still be seen.  
"Yikes..."  
He muttered, chuckling again as he pulled his pants on.  
"What 'cha gunna do about _that_?"

With his bow tie undone and draped around his neck, Alastor moved into the bathroom to use the mirror, examining his neck carefully.  
"It's alright. I shall simply smile brighter and hope people avert their gazes from my neck to my smile! It's not overly noticeable anyways, Anthony."  
Alastor explained as he tied his bow tie, feeling his stomach rumbling.  
Breakfast was definitely needed.

The blonde put his own shirt on and started on the buttons, joining Alastor in the mirror, seeing the marks on his own neck weren't nearly as visible.  
"I dunno. Unless this is a regular thing for ya, people might notice."  
He said as he adjusted his own collar a bit to see if he could hide the one mark that was a little further up before looking to Alastor again.

Alastor huffed the tiniest of laughs at that, running a hand through his hair, trying to style it somewhat.  
"No, this certainly isn't something I do regularly."  
He chuckled, straightening his tie out and raising his chin to the mirror, the marks being all the more visible.  
Shaking his head, deciding there was nothing that could be done, Alastor stepped away from the mirror and moved across the room to retrieve his knife and cigarette box, putting them away in his pockets.

Anthony made sure to zip and button his pants after tucking his shirt in before gathering everything he needed for the venture, checking the time on his watch while he was at it.  
"Would anythin' even be open the day after a huge celebration? I dunno how these things usually work."  
He sighed as he grabbed his comb and loosely ran it through his hair.

Leaning against the wall by the hotel door, Alastor lit up a cigarette, closing his eyes while he waited for the Italian.  
"Yes, there will be a few places open. But not many. I know the place that we're going will be, the owner is awfully nice."  
He called out, opening his eyes once Anthony stepped back out of the bathroom again.

Heading towards the door, the blonde pressed his ear to it to see if he could hear anything on the other side.  
"If y' say so..."  
He said softly as he then slowly opened the door and poked his head out, looking up and down the hall. Seeing that the coast was clear, he opened the door fully and gestured for Alastor to step out first and then followed him out, locking the door behind him.

Lucky for them, because a large majority of people had been out late, they were all likely still resting and taking their time in recovering from the celebrations, so the hotel and the streets were rather quiet.  
  
  
  


Their meal was certainly fulfilling, to say the least. Anthony and Alastor indulged in a meal of eggs and bacon with a cup of coffee, definitely something they'd needed after the previous night's activities and having been without food for a while.  
Once they'd finished their breakfast, both of them were on their way back to Alastor's home upon his request. Alastor wanted to change into something a little cleaner and refresh himself before he and Anthony headed out again for the rest of the day.

As for the worry Alastor had surrounding his neck and the marks present, he supposed he was quite lucky that he didn't receive many stares on the streetcar as they were making their way.

As soon as they got in the door, Amélie's voice echoed from the kitchen.  
"Alastor? Tu n'es pas rentré à la maison hier soir. Où étais-tu?"  
She called out in French before coming to greet him, not expecting company.  
The woman had come home from her job to an empty house and hadn't seen her son since he left the night before, so when she was met with an empty home, she became a bit worried and made sure to stay awake until she knew Alastor was safe.

"Est-ce-que tu as entendu? Batallier a été retrouvé mort tard hier soir."  
She stopped once she noticed Anthony was there too.

The moment he heard his mother's voice, Alastor looked to Anthony, carefully calling back out to her as she appeared in the room.  
"Et bien, maman c'était Mardi Gras."  
He replied in French to her, watching as she acknowledged Anthony being in the room.

"Oh, hello Anthony. Wonderful to see you again, dear."  
She smiled a bit, switching to English.

Anthony gave a nod and smile in return.  
"Amélie. Nice t' see ya."

"He's dead, is he? How?"  
Alastor repeated in English so Anthony could understand the topic at hand, not an ounce of suspicion in his own voice as he managed to play it off as if he knew absolutely nothing.

Amélie's attention was turned back to her son now.  
"Alastor, this is no topic to be had with a guest present."  
She said as she took a few steps closer, eyes narrowing as she clearly spotted the marks on Alastor's neck.

As she got closer, Anthony stepped aside, looking between Alastor and his mother.

If he hadn't been so good at being unreadable, there was no doubt that Alastor's face would have shown nothing but amusement as his mother spoke about not wanting to discuss Batallier's death around Anthony. Still, he respected what she had to say.

"What's happened there?"  
Amélie asked as she lifted Alastor's chin, playing it as if she didn't know what those marks were.

Alastor stood still as his mother lifted his chin, very calmly responding to her.  
"I was out until dark last night. The mosquitos must have gotten to me, you know how my skin reacts to bites."  
He shrugged, stepping away from his mother and moving towards the stairs.

"Those are _not_ mosquito bites, Alastor."  
Amélie stayed as she followed close behind, leaving Anthony to awkwardly stand by the door.  
"Alastor, so help me if I find out you've gotten some poor girl pregnant."  
She continued.

Anthony began to shrink into himself, eyes widening as he looked to the ground. He scolded himself internally about the fact he should have controlled himself better and kept any marks in a spot that could have been easily hidden.

Alastor calmly sighed, as he started up the stairs, glancing back over his shoulder at his mother.  
"Don't you think this is _also_ a topic not to be had while a guest is present? But no Mama, you know me. I would do no such thing. Now, if you will excuse me, I must change for the day."  
There was no doubt that Amélie would be bringing this up later when Anthony wasn't present, but for now, Alastor didn't have time for accusations. He felt filthy and wanted to change.

The woman paused entirely before giving a nod.  
"We'll be discussing this later, young man."  
She finally sighed, turning back towards Anthony with a smile.  
"My apologies, Anthony. Please, come in and make yourself comfortable."

With a nod, Anthony neatly lined his shoes up at the door before fully entering the home.  
"Grazie. Haven't y' slept yet?"  
He asked.

"Oh, no, I was up worried about Alastor. With the murder last night and him coming home in the state he's in, I have every reason to."  
The woman replied with a sigh, looking towards the stairs again.

"Murder?"

"Yes, it took place in Congo Square. About a fifteen-minute walk from your hotel. But let's not discuss that. Any word on when you are to return to New York?"  
Amélie asked as she guided Anthony into the lounge.

"T'morrow actually. Gunna miss this place."  
Anthony nodded as he took a seat.

"Tomorrow? Why that's quite sudden. I'm glad I get to see you before you leave. I also saw the drawing you did of Alastor. Quite the magnificent skill."  
Amélie smiled, taking a seat across from him.  
"If you find yourself here again, I'd love to be drawn by you as well, assuming you're busy today."

"Ah, thank you, and yeah, I'm gunna be packin' up later t'night. Spendin' the day with Al t' celebrate."  
Anthony smiled.

"Of course. Well, I'm glad I got to see you before you left, as I've said. You're a joy to have around, Anthony."  
She nodded.

Anthony and Amélie exchanged a pleasant conversation about nothing in particular, mainly Anthony going home, what he missed about it along with the woman's hopes that he would return to New Orleans sometime until Alastor rejoined them downstairs.

Alastor made sure to be relatively quick in changing. He didn't have time to wash, but he would do so again later that evening.  
Moving across his room to his closet, Alastor chose a shirt that had a higher collar than the rest of his shirts.  
With that on, he changed into pants and suspenders, opting for a jacket as well today to hide his neck even more if he could.

Exiting his room and striding into the bathroom, Alastor ran a quick comb through his hair so that it was out of his face before he then began to head back downstairs again.

Amélie looked to her son, seeing that a majority of the marks on his neck were covered up.  
Standing, she walked over to him and straightened out his coat.  
"Do stay safe while you're out. We don't know if Batallier could have been you or this could be another Axeman."  
She sighed.

Anthony stood and made his way over as well, the woman turning to him and opened her arms.

"I suppose this will be the last time I see you for a while."  
She said with a somber tone, bringing the Italian in for a hug, who graciously hugged back.

"Aye, don't think for a second I ain't gunna think about 'cha. I'll be back again. Dunno when but I'll make sure t' write Al and give ya both updates."  
He said with a smile.

Alastor nodded slowly as his mother made her way over to him, smiling a little and taking her hand for a second.  
"Don't worry. We'll both be safe."  
He reassured before stepping back and moving towards the front door as Anthony and Amélie said their goodbyes for now.  
"Anthony has promised to write. I'm sure we'll meet him again someday, Mama. We're going to enjoy what time we have left while he's still here- I promise I shall be home before it gets late."

Anthony released the hug and joined Alastor at the door, slipping his shoes on and tied the laces.

"Stay out of trouble for the love of God."  
The woman sighed.

"I'll keep 'im safe and outta trouble. I promise. Now go get some sleep."  
Anthony smiled as he stood up straight again.

Amélie would have replied but thought better of it for now. She and Alastor would be discussing it all later. For now, she simply nodded, gathered her skirt, and headed upstairs. She really was tired.

"Rest well Mama."  
Alastor called as he stepped outside, having slipped his shoes on while the two had been speaking.  
Quietly closing the door behind them, Alastor turned to Anthony with a small smile.

It was still warm out and still light, given that it was barely noon now, but as Alastor looked over at Anthony the afternoon sun seemed to shine across his face so warmly.  
"Come on. We're heading towards my boat on the bayou."

The blonde looked up at the man for a moment and gave a nod.  
"Y' think she's happy about him bein' gone?"  
He asked in a quieter voice, looking back at the door for a moment as they began to walk towards where Alastor kept his boat.  
"She seemed too distracted by my work t' really tell."

Alastor visibly sighed a little, nodding in agreement at what Anthony was saying.  
"She'll come around to it. After she's rested she'll seem less distracted. I don't understand _why_ she didn't sleep though, she's working late again tonight."  
Alastor huffed a little as they walked along the street, the older man letting his hands rest neatly behind his back.

Anthony gave a bit of a nod and took a deep breath of the fresh air. He was going to miss a lot of things here; the air being one of them.  
"Just be glad y' got someone that worries about 'cha. Doesn't matter how well y' can take care of yourself."  
He said softly.  
"Hopefully she goes easy on ya though. I shoulda been more careful with those."  
He added, referring to the marks.

Alastor knew he was lucky to have his mother around, and while it was sad that Anthony hadn't a mother of his own around anymore, Alastor hoped that _his_ mother had at least made the Italian feel welcome here.  
"Ah, it's quite alright. She won't scold me too much, don't worry."  
Gesturing towards his neck with a smile, the two of them then turned a corner.

Anthony gave a small hum and a nod, deciding to stay quiet now as they soon found themselves at the riverbank and uncovering the boat.  
Of course, Anthony had learned from their first outing like this to accept help when getting in and out of the floatation device so he wouldn't end up in the water again.

When they were out on the water, Anthony looked out over the water as he spoke.  
"I leave at seven forty-five t'morrow mornin'. I dunno if you'll be up at six but if y' wanna wait at the station with me, y' can."  
His voice was calm and almost saddened as he looked to the man rowing across from him.

With his jacket folded neatly in his lap, hands gripping the oars as he rowed them down the bayou, Alastor looked over at Anthony, slowly nodding, picking up on the slightly saddened tone.  
"I'll be up, don't you worry."  
The butcher replied firmly, not wanting to miss seeing Anthony off.

The blonde gave a small smile and nodded, looking back out over the water to the trees that hung over the riverbank. All beautiful as Anthony made sure to keep these images stored safely in his memory.

The rest of the journey to the small opening in the patch of trees that Alastor called his own, was peacefully silent, safe for the expected bayou ambiance around them.

Once they made it to the clearing, the Italian was careful and let the butcher help him off, then they spent the next while at the shed, Anthony drawing a few more of Alastor's plants in his books as requested.  
There weren't many words to be exchanged between them, simply enjoying each other's company while they had the time.  
Anthony ended up taking his shirt off at some point so he wouldn't have an obvious tan line on his neck and arms.

Soon enough, the sky began to darken in color, a haze of orange fading into the blue as the first signs of the sun beginning to set shone over. From where he sat under a tree, notebook in hand, Alastor looked up at the sky and then across at Anthony.  
"Come on, it's your last sunset here. Let's get a good view."  
Standing, Alastor closed his book and offered a hand out for the blonde to take.

Anthony looked up at the man and set the book he was working in aside so the ink could dry, taking his hand and pulled himself up. It was just as well that he just finished the drawing too, so the timing couldn't have been more perfect.  
"Where're y' takin' me this time?"  
He asked with a smile, not complaining by any means. If it meant they had more time together then he was all for it.

Brushing himself down slightly, Alastor pointed in the direction behind the shed, away from the river and a way that Anthony hadn't explored yet.  
"You'll see. It's something to behold, that's for sure."  
He chuckled, beginning to lead the way, deciding to leave his notebook and his other items out on the grass. No one ever came around to that area anyway, so he wasn't worried about anything being taken or damaged.

Anthony made sure to grab his shirt and drape it over his shoulders, his skin having tanned rather nicely over the day in the sun, something his family was bound to notice upon his arrival home.  
Following along quietly as he looked around at the new area he was being led through.  
"Can't wait."  
He replied with his smile growing.

It was a barely five-minute walk or so towards the stop that Alastor was leading them, and the ground was a visible incline all the way up.  
Eventually, the two of them cleared the trees only to stop at a high point that overlooked some of the trees below and the river in the distance. The best part was that they had a magnificent view of the sun starting to set, the sky a much oranger color now. 

"Here we are."  
Alastor smiled.

Anthony looked out over the scene and paused, the light beautiful and not too harsh.  
He really had no words as he looked to Alastor for a moment and smiled then looked back out to the sunset. 

"Y' know, if I knew y' didn't like me, I'd be kinda freaked out thinkin' this would be the last thing I ever saw."  
He chuckled lightly, leaning into the taller man a bit.

Alastor stood with his chin raised, soaking in the sun as he closed his eyes for a moment, feeling Anthony leaning into him a little.  
"Haha, well I don't blame you, but, if I _was_ going to kill you, I wouldn't give you the satisfaction of seeing this."  
He nodded, opening his eyes and looking down at the other.

Anthony gave a small laugh.  
"Yeah, I know how ya kill. Brutal and kinda terrifyin' but... attractive at the same time."  
He wasn't sure why he was admitting to any of this. Probably because there was a chance they wouldn't hear each other's voices again let alone see each other in a romantic setting like this.  
"I wouldn't mind dyin' by your hand if I'm honest. Ain't a pleasant feelin' most of the time but as long as I'd get t' see ya one last time, I'd be fine with it."

Alastor raised a slight brow, huffing the tiniest of laughs.  
"You found it attractive when I killed that man? Why I thought the only emotion you had that night was fear."  
He chuckled as well, looking down to the ground before slowly sitting, leaning back on his elbows, legs outstretched.  
"But, I suppose that means a lot. Thank you."

Anthony huffed, looking down at the man as he sat, deciding to join him after a moment or two. Falling silent again as he leaned against Alastor a bit, blinking slowly as he took in these moments. The setting sun warm on his face and slightly uncovered chest.  
"I'm gunna miss this."  
He finally spoke after a few moments, the sun now kissing the horizon as it sunk lower and lower.

Alastor embraced the fact that Anthony had taken to leaning against him again, the older man even leaning into him a little as they watched the sunset.  
"Well Anthony, it will always be here for you to come back to. And I hope you know that you are _always_ welcome back as well."

Anthony couldn't help but smile and the sweetness in Alastor's words. He really did feel welcome by him, his mother, and almost everyone else he'd encountered. It was strange to him considering he was there to kill someone and nothing else, not that anyone knew that but it was still odd. People in New York weren't nearly as friendly to strangers or anyone for that matter.

Looking up at Alastor for a moment, smile growing, Anthony sighed and placed a kiss to the man's cheek.  
"Thanks. I'll see what I can do about comin' back. I promise t' write to ya every time I get a letter from ya and as soon as I get home though."

Alastor's smile didn't falter a millimeter at both the blonde's words and his actions.  
"And I shall be sending a letter back the day I receive one from you. I hope we may stay in contact, Anthony."  
Alastor smiled, it being his turn to press a gentle kiss to the side of the Italian's head.

Anthony couldn't smile any wider than he was now, filled with pure joy.  
"We will. I'll make sure of it. Even if I have t' come all the way down here and deliver my letters myself."  
He replied, looking out at the sunset again until it finally sunk below the horizon, the oranges and pinks were still bright against the distant clouds.  
He carefully took Alastor's hand and sighed, his head resting on his shoulder.

The sunset really was a wonder to behold, the dark orange night sky soon taking hold as the light pinks and wispy clouds faded away.

Soon though, Alastor spoke up, his palm giving Anthony's smaller hand a gentle squeeze as he voiced his thoughts.  
"I almost want to apologize to you, for not realizing it sooner. My attraction towards you, I mean."

Green eyes found their way to the man as he finished speaking.  
"Why? This sorta thing ain't really allowed even for the mafia. Yeah, some families run bars and stuff specifically for people like that, but my family sure as hell doesn't. Bein' raised in a business like that really screws ya up and makes ya really question yourself. So, I don't blame ya for takin' so long. I wouldn't even blame ya if ya changed your mind while we're apart..."  
Anthony chuckled a bit, trying to hide his pain in even thinking of that possibility.  
He also paused because he realized he let the truth actually slip for the first time. He'd never confirmed that he really was a part of the mafia until just then, only doing it because his mind was elsewhere and because he felt safe.

Alastor listened carefully at what Anthony had to say, his eyes narrowing a little in amusement as he carried on. He wasn't amused by the topic at hand, it was more directed by what the blonde was saying, or clarifying at least.  
"Oh yes, homosexuality _is_ quite illegal, isn't it."  
Alastor trailed off absentmindedly, pausing for a second before a smug smile crept up.  
"So the Mafia aspect is confirmed then?"  
the man clarified, a small smirk on his face as he tilted his head in Anthony's direction.

Anthony needed a moment to breathe. He knew Alastor would have had some sort of idea about his line of family and work by now so he figured there wasn't any point in trying to deter him from it now, especially since he let it slip. He hadn't even taken the oath yet either.

"Yeah... I... trust y' ain't gunna go run your mouth about it. Right? Might have t' come back and give ya the same treatment as Lawrence if ya do."  
Anthony smiled a little at the man with almost pleading eyes; as if begging him to stay quiet about it- or maybe the opposite so they would be able to see each other again? That was for Alastor to decide.

"You don't have to worry about anything, Anthony. I would have absolutely nothing to gain from doing that. Besides, I am a decent man, hardly one which would by any means tattle."  
Of _course_ this was to be kept a secret. If word ever got out and somehow managed to spread as far as New York, who knew what would happen to Anthony.

With a nod, the blonde smiled and placed another kiss to Alastor's cheek.  
"I appreciate it, Smiles."  
He said softly before looking out to where the sun had set, the sky growing darker by the minute, stars starting to come into sight the darker it became.

Alastor leaned his head against Anthony's a little more as they watched the sky together, the man eventually moving off of his elbows to lay flat against the grass, his chin raised to the sky.  
"I'm glad it's clear skies."  
He eventually spoke up, turning his head towards the other who was still sitting up.

Anthony couldn't wipe the smile off of his face as he looked to Alastor again but stopped to look at his watch while there was still the tiniest bit of light.  
"We should get goin' though. Y' said it gets dangerous out here at night last time we were here and I still gotta make sure I got everythin' packed up."  
He sighed, smile faltering slightly. He really wished they could have stayed longer.

Alastor slowly nodded at that, agreeing. Being out on the water late wasn't necessarily an issue for him, however, he preferred not to be. Plus, he understood that his mother still wanted to speak with him when he returned home.  
"Yes, you're right. I still have yet to gather my belongings from by the shed as well."  
He sighed, reaching across to take Anthony's hand and point it up to the sky at a particularly bright star that was now visible, the tiniest of passing clouds having been covering it before along with the light of the sun that was still retreating keeping all of the others dim.  
"I don't suppose when you live here you don't appreciate the stars as much. But, I'm sure you can here."

Anthony's brows raised as he was guided, looking up to the sky, assuming that's where he was being told to look.  
As soon as his eyes caught the sight of the now bright abundance of stars that littered the sky, his jaw almost dropped. He'd never seen so many before. New York didn't have this many and he didn't see many while he was in New Orleans either. He was probably too busy to really notice them.  
"Have... there always been so many?"  
He asked, eyes stuck on the little specks of lights in the sky.

Alastor chuckled a little, slowly letting Anthony's arm go.  
"Of _course_ there's always been so many. Everywhere has the same amount of stars, you know."  
Taking a moment to gaze at the sky himself, Alastor smiled.  
"They're quite stunning, aren't they."

The blonde shook his head, smiling a little.  
"New York ain't got this many. I woulda seen 'em."  
There were quite a few nights Anthony found himself unable to sleep while at home and sat outside or even went out for a late-night walk, but never saw stars to this extent. It couldn't have been cloudy because he'd see the moon and a few stars, but nothing like this.

Alastor simply nodded, letting a comfortable silence fall between them for a few moments.  
"You'll see this sky again. Don't worry."  
He grinned, sitting up again, leaning on a palm.  
"You'll come back one day, and it will still be here for you."

The blonde pried his eyes from the sky to look at the man beside him, the corners of his mouth pulling up a little more. Now he was all the more determined to return so they could come back to this very spot and overlook the sunsets and night sky every night he was there for.  
"Mi mancherai... Mi mancherà _tutto_ questo..."  
He whispered, feeling his heart become weak to sadness. He couldn't wait until the day they met again to share more precious moments just like this.

Alastor slowly looked across at Anthony fondly, listening to him as he spoke Italian.  
"What does that mean?"  
He asked softly, sensing the clear sadness in his voice.

"I'm gunna miss you... I'm gunna miss _all_ of this..."  
He repeated, voice getting softer this time around.

Alastor's face softened a little at that, the usual smile on his face but genuine and warm.  
"Well, I think it's safe to say that I will miss you too, Anthony. It's been a pleasure meeting you, and everything after."

Bringing a hand up to cup the man's cheek, Anthony sighed as he looked over Alastor's face in the dim light of the stars, making sure to save his features and the feeling of his skin on his palm to memory.  
He didn't have the chance to remember his mother like this, so he made sure he wasn't going to make the mistake of not taking advantage of the time they had.

Without another word said, the Italian leaned in slowly and closed the gap between them, pressing his lips carefully against Alastor's.

Alastor all but melted into the sweet kiss, his body visibly sighing as the gap was closed. Aside from the first 'impulsive' kiss on Anthony's part all those weeks ago now, this was the first time that the both of them were kissing with a sound and un-intoxicated mind.

Anthony's heart lifted as the action was returned, but had to stop and pull away after a few bittersweet moments.  
"We should get goin'."  
He whispered, lips still brushing against the other's.

As they parted slightly, Alastor feeling Anthony's careful breath against his lips, the older man nodded.  
"Yes, you're right. I shall join you on the streetcar since I plan to visit Rosie. It's been a fair few days since I've seen her."  
Alastor explained, very slowly leaning away from Anthony, sighing.

Anthony kept his eyes closed, sighing as he felt Alastor become distant again. Pulling him back again, the blonde smiled.  
"I meant we _should_ , not that we _had_ to."  
He said before kissing the man again.

Alastor's smile widened immensely at that, the man chuckling deeply as he was pulled back in for another kiss, his smile unwavering even as they kissed.  
Pulling away for a second, still chuckling and letting his forehead rest against the Italian's, the butcher quietly replied.  
"You're quite right."

Anthony grinned, staying close to the other with a small sigh, placing another kiss to his lips for a brief moment and then pulled away completely.  
"Well, c'mon. I feel like I ain't gunna sleep again once I get on that damn rattler in the mornin'."  
He said as he started to stand, brushing himself off and buttoning his shirt properly.

Alastor looked up at the sky once more before he stood as well, stretching his arms out before a sudden idea hit him. Something that he'd quite randomly remembered. Something that he wanted to do before Anthony left.

Taking Anthony's hand, Alastor turned and pulled him in closer.  
"I still have yet to teach you to dance. Will you dance with me?"

As his hand was grabbed, the blonde turned towards the man out of curiosity, looking at their hands and then up at Alastor.  
"What, now?"  
He asked as he glanced around.  
"Is this even a good place for that?"  
Again, he wasn't going to complain, but he didn't want to make a fool of himself seeing as it was dark and he had zero experience dancing, so the likelihood of him tripping over himself, Alastor or tree roots was heightened.

Alastor shrugged a little in response. He had no idea whether this was a good place for dancing, or even if this was a good idea _at all_. It was very much an impulsive thing, but he supposed every now and again, impulsive decisions were quite amusing. At least, the outcomes were.  
"Who knows."  
He chuckled, lifting Anthony's arm up and guiding him to spin.  
"See, it's fun, is it not?"

Anthony felt his cheeks warming slightly as he allowed himself to be guided. Dancing under the light of the stars and rising moon didn't seem like a horrible idea... _if_ you knew how to.  
With a small giggle, Anthony was facing Alastor again, looking up at him with a wide smile.  
"Sorry in advance if I step on ya."  
He said with a huff of a laugh.

"So, you've _never_ danced before?"  
Alastor thought he'd clarify, spinning Anthony around once more, stopping him once he was facing him again. They'd talked about it before, but that was near a month ago now.  
"If that's the case, then the occasionally stepping on feet is to be expected. Worry not, I understand it's not your intention to do so."

Anthony gave another small laugh and shook his head.  
"If dad ever caught us dancin' back home, lord knows what would happen. Won't even let us _look_ at the music room."  
He said as he placed a hand on Alastor's shoulder, assuming that was where he was to hold him. He'd only read about it maybe once or twice in fairytales.

"Well, you can dance your heart out here."  
Alastor laughed a little in return, raising his chin as Anthony placed a hand on his shoulder, settling one hand on Anthony's waist and then continued holding his other hand.  
"I said that I wanted to teach you, and now I shall. Mind you, I am not the _best_ at dancing. However, I _am_ decent at it."

The blonde's chest puffed out a bit as his waist was held, his breath getting caught for only a moment.  
"You don't gotta brag about it. Y' already sold me too. I _am_ comin' back at some point and there ain't gunna be any distractions next time."  
Anthony chuckled out.

Nodding once, Alastor waited for a few moments for Anthony to get used to the position they were standing in before he looked down at their feet.  
"Just follow my lead. I'll lead you into the steps, and you'll try and _not_ step on any feet."  
Alastor explained simply before taking a singular step back, waiting for Anthony to follow by stepping forwards.

Looking down as well, the Italian followed the man's lead, stepping forward. He was a bit nervous without cause. This man seemed to be understanding and wouldn't throw him into the river if he did mess up. Step one seemed to be a success so far.

If there had been a band or even a single person present with the means to make music, then that would have made this moment even more perfect. But alas, no one was allowed to know what Alastor and Anthony had together.

Carefully guiding Anthony into the small sequence of repetitive steps, Alastor made sure that no feet were being stepped on, occasionally glancing down between them to their shoes.  
"Why, Anthony my friend, you're doing magnificently!"

Anthony was surprised with himself at how well he was managing, keeping his eyes down to make sure that he didn't trip or step on either Alastor or himself.

Looking up at the man, Anthony smiled, one of pride.  
"Thanks! I think I'm gettin' the hang of it."  
He said.  
Unfortunately though, because he took his eyes off of where he was stepping, the blonde stepped just a little too far and found exactly what he was afraid of; tripping on a root. This caused his eyes to widen as he grabbed hold of Alastor in hopes of stabilizing.

Alastor was just about to praise Anthony once again, however it seemed the both of them spoke too soon.

As Anthony tripped on the root of the tree that stood above them, Alastor tried his best to steady the smaller man, however with his back facing the incline of the hill, Alastor stumbled backward too, the weight of the blonde falling into him causing him to tumble back towards the edge of the hill.

Anthony let out a gasped as soon as he felt that his hopes weren't met, hoping that they were positioned so that they would have fallen onto a more flat surface, Alastor not quite able to catch him and help him find his balance again. Wrapping his arms tightly around the man's neck, Anthony tucked his head so his face was buried in the man's chest.

Alastor yelped a little as he suddenly found himself falling to the ground, Anthony leaning into him as they, as a result, rolled down the hill into the leaves and dusty ground.  
The butcher managed to wrap his arms around the Italian as they rolled, taking most of the damage for Anthony until eventually, they stopped.

Once he felt the momentum come to a halt, Anthony slowly relaxed and lifted his head, eyes blinking open to look down at the man he found himself on top of.  
"Ugh... sorry..."  
He groaned, putting his forehead back down on Alastor's chest.

There were a few leaves in Alastor's hair as he slowly relaxed and let go of Anthony, groaning as he rubbed the back of his head.  
"No, it's alright."  
He continued, letting his head fall back to the ground again as he sighed.  
"If that's not a sign that we should perhaps be heading back, then I don't know what is."  
He then chuckled slightly.

Anthony shook his head and huffed a laugh, lifting his head again as he loosened his grip on Alastor.  
"Maybe you're right... this was real nice while it lasted."  
He smiled, leaning in to kiss his chin before getting up off of the man and then offered a hand out to him.

Alastor gratefully took the hand as he stood, face scrunching a little at a dull pain he felt in his shoulder now from the fall. It was alright though. It was mainly his jacket that was dusty, and his hair which had a few dried leaves in.  
"Yes, I agree. It was certainly enjoyable."  
Alastor nodded, brushing himself down and looking to the other.

The blonde smiled fondly up at the man, reaching up to pluck some of the leaves and twigs from his hair.  
"Next time, we find a better place for a dance."  
He stated with a small chuckle as he then started to help brush Alastor off before taking his hand, nodding towards where they came from.  
"C'mon. We got places t' be."

Alastor nodded in agreement, taking Anthony's hand in turn and following as the other led them back towards the shed in the clearing.  
It didn't take the older man long to gather all his belongings and a small glass jar of spices just as he'd done the last time Anthony had been with him.

Anthony fixed his shirt, making sure it was buttoned properly and tucked it into his pants before gathering the book and drawing utensils he had been working with. He then made his way to the boat and carefully got in with Alastor's help.

While on the river, Anthony made sure to keep himself as far in the boat as he could manage, not wanting to attract any swamp cats by being too close, but kept his eyes up at the sky.  
The stars were all still very much there which brought a bright smile to his face.

Alastor found himself quietly humming a tune as he sailed them along the water, oars pushing through the river weeds and greenery upon the water's surface, the boat creating a trail along the river.

Glimpsing across to Anthony, Alastor spotted him looking up at the stars again, the older man smiling too.  
"We're almost here."  
He soon nodded in the direction of a riverbank in the near distance.

Anthony looked to the coming stop, his smile faltering ever so slightly. This just meant that their time was quickly coming to an end.  
"Stop for a second..."  
He said as he looked to Alastor again.

Looking back over his shoulder as Anthony asked him to stop, Alastor carefully put the oars down, the boat floating through the water a little slower until it near enough stopped, leaving them to simply drift now.  
Looking back over at the Italian, Alastor raised a brow.  
"Yes?"

Anthony took a breath before moving closer to Alastor. He had little to no experience with meaningful words but he was going to try and hope that he didn't sound like a sap.  
"This might be the last chance we get t' be close..."  
He sighed, sitting on the floor of the boat, looking up at the man.  
"I just wanted t' let y' know that y' make me real happy. The happiest I've been in a long time."  
He gently took Alastor's hands, keeping their eyes locked.  
"Y' gave me a lot t' look forward to and I really hope we keep our word of writin'."

Alastor paused a little to listen, that fond smile he kept finding himself doing, creeping up to his face at the mere words Anthony was saying. He couldn't have felt more similarly.

Gently squeezing Anthony's hands in turn, Alastor slowly nodded.  
"It brings me great joy to hear that, Anthony. And, well, I feel the same way. However long it may be, I too hope that we stay in touch."

Anthony smiled with delight, never seeming to be able to get enough of Alastor's voice in general; not to mention the sweet things he would _say_ with that wonderful voice of his.

"Grazie per avermi dato questa esperienza. Lo farò tesoro fino alla fine dei tempi."  
He said softly as he then leaned up and kissed Alastor's lips carefully, making sure to keep it slow and passionate as this was likely going to be their last one for a long while.

Of course, Alastor didn't understand Anthony's words of Italian, but he understood the _tone_ regardless, his eyes fluttering closed at the careful kiss to his lips, the butcher ever so gently kissing the Italian back.

Shuffling forwards, Alastor brought a hand up to cup Anthony's cheek just as he'd done during their first kiss, however, this one meant so much more. The last time they'd be able to do this for a while undoubtedly.

The touch was careful to his cheek, Anthony having to keep himself from getting too carried away. They weren't exactly on steady ground so one wrong or sudden move and they would be in the water, not something he wanted to risk happening for their last romantic encounter.

The blonde's hands moved to rest against Alastor's chest. By this point, he was willing to give anything to stay just one more day.  
Eventually pulling away, Anthony's eyes opened, looking at the man in front of him.

Alastor tilted his head to the side slightly as he felt Anthony's hands firmly resting on his chest, his eyes still staying closed for a few moments more even after their lips pulled away. He knew that this was the last time for a long time; and it really did sadden him.

Anthony saw the pause the other man took, smiling as he leaned in again.  
"I promise I'll come back..."  
He whispered, arms moving up to carefully wrap around his neck.

"Do we have a deal?"  
Alastor whispered before he was cut off again by Anthony's slightly chapped lips upon his own, the older man bringing his free hand around the blonde's waist.  
It was a strong infatuation that Alastor simply couldn't ignore- what he felt for Anthony.  
He didn't want him to leave, of course, but by him going away for a while, it would test whether Alastor's infatuation was fleeting or truly genuine.

The longer this went on, the more Anthony's heart fluttered. His mind getting caught up in the moment and forgetting why this was happening in the first place, but only for a few seconds.

"Deal."  
He whispered as soon as he pulled away, breathing heavily against Alastor's lips, staying close and keeping his eyes closed.

Alastor took a slow and long breath once they'd pulled away again, the man very slowly opening his eyes, quietly observing Anthony as he sealed their deal.  
Perhaps he would have leaned in again, however, from the corner of his eye he spotted something glowing floating around them.  
Leaning back and squinting his eyes, a content smile settled upon his face as he realized what they were.  
Fireflies.

Anthony felt the man pull away and opened his eyes, wondering if maybe his answer wasn't satisfactory. He was about to ask but stopped when he noticed the little lights that slowly lit and faded repeatedly, never in the same spots as before.  
Sitting back down properly on the floor of the boat, the blonde looked around. He'd never seen anything like it before, green eyes lighting up with wonder even in the dark.

"Are they stars...?"  
He asked, eyes flicking to each little light that appeared and faded again. 

Alastor carefully shook his head as Anthony asked whether they were stars or not. 

That was until the blonde felt a little something on the tip of his nose, one of the lights illuminating there.  
"La stella è sul mio naso!"  
He said, hands waving a bit in both excitement and nervousness.  
"It's on me, Smiles! What should I do!?"

Simply taking a moment to watch the creatures slowly flying around above the water, Alastor then looked back to Anthony, watching as the firefly landed on his nose and caused the Italian in turn to panic slightly.

"It's fine, Anthony. Just leave it and it will fly away."  
Alastor chuckled, Anthony's excited panic causing the insect to fly away anyways. 

Anthony's eyes were crossed, looking at the light, eyes following it as it flew away. A smile found its way to his face again as he looked around at the other lights.

"They're quite beautiful, aren't they? Fireflies. I don't suppose you've seen them before, have you."

"Never seen anythin' like it..."  
He stated softly.  
"Your home is so full of incredible and beautiful things..."  
He smiled a little more, looking at the man again.

Alastor chuckled a little more at that, closing his eyes briefly with another nod.  
"Yes. The amount of beauty here still astounds me even still. Magnificent only partially describes it."  
He agreed, now opening his eyes only for his gaze to fall upon Anthony again.  
"I shall miss you."

Anthony took a breath, giving a small, slow nod.  
"I'm gunna miss you too, Alastor..."  
He sighed, now really feeling it all hit him. Tears threatened his eyes now. He could only hope that it was too dark for Alastor to see them and hoped he could hold them back long enough to get back to his room before they inevitably spilled. He didn't want the man to see him so weak and vulnerable; less masculine.

Alastor could hear it in Anthony's tone and his words that he was beginning to get a bit upset. And of course, Alastor knew that both himself and Anthony didn't want that.  
"It's alright."  
He tried to comfort, placing a hand on top of Anthony's, watching as the fireflies still left blinking light around them.  
"I'm positive that time will fly by."

There was more that he was afraid of besides how long they would have to be apart, but Anthony wasn't going to voice any of it. It was all ridiculous in his mind at least, so he didn't want to say it and sound stupid.

Giving a nod, the blonde inhaled slowly and deeply.  
"I know it will."  
He replied, taking Alastor's hand and gave it a careful squeeze.  
There was still so much he wanted to say but knew none of it was a good idea for numerous reasons.

Alastor paused a moment as if he was trying to read Anthony's thoughts.  
"It's getting late."  
He then replied, placing his other hand on top of Anthony's.  
"And you need as much sleep as you can get. I can't imagine that sleeping on a train is an easy task."

"You're right, it ain't."  
Anthony replied with a gentle smile, using the heels of his palms to wipe his eyes clear before looking out around them again at what he would now call the floating earth stars. He didn't want to know how hard tomorrow would be for him in terms of staying strong, and to be exhausted too would just make things worse.

Focus turning back towards the boat, Alastor took ahold of the oars again, beginning to slowly row them across the rest of the river to the riverbank just up ahead.  
He made sure to row slowly, just so that the two of them would have a few more moments together like this. A few more until they had to once again pretend that none of this was real or ever even happened between them.

For those few minutes, Anthony sat in silence, looking at the man across from him as the fireflies danced around them calmly and gracefully. If he was going to be honest, this was the perfect way to end his trip.

Once they came to a stop and got off of the boat, Anthony looked up at Alastor with a smile before looking around them. It was dark with the exception of stars and fireflies, so he took this last chance and wrapped his arms around Alastor's torso in a tight embrace; taking in as much of his scent while he could.

With one arm cradling his belongings he'd gathered from the shed, Alastor gladly wrapped the other around Anthony once they were on land again, letting his chin rest gently upon the top of the blonde's head.  
"Thank you..."  
Alastor whispered softly, letting his eyes close for a second more.

He probably shouldn't have, considering he knew what Alastor was capable of for fun, but Anthony felt safe in this man's arms. It was as if he was protecting him from the cruelty of the world and his home life.

His brows furrowed a bit though, giving the man a gentle squeeze.  
"What 'cha thankin' _me_ for? I'm the one who's supposed t' be thankin' _you_."

Alastor shrugged slightly, keeping his chin resting lightly on top of Anthony's head.  
"Well, I suppose I've simply enjoyed your company. That's what I have to thank you for."  
He slowly explained, squeezing the Italian back a little.  
"And of course, many things more."

Anthony gave a smile, slowly removing his cheek from Alastor's chest and looked up at him.  
"In that case, prego. You're welcome."  
He said as he placed one final kiss to his cheek. It was painful to do, but he wanted to do it.

Alastor smiled at the kiss to his cheek, knowing that it was final.  
Slowly pulling away, letting Anthony go, he raised his chin a little.  
"Right then. I'll walk with you to the streetcar."  
He had changed his mind about visiting Rosie, having things to tend to back home.

Anthony gave a nod and slowly started making his way back to the street where they walked back to the streetcar stop in near silence, the blonde keeping his eyes down on the ground as the night ambiance of the bayou became more distant.

Alastor made sure to walk a tolerable distance away from Anthony as they made their way to the streetcar stop.  
Inevitably when that streetcar _did_ come, the butcher looked over to the other with a nod.  
"I promise to be there tomorrow to see you off. You have my word."  
He nodded firmly.

Anthony nodded in return as he stepped onto the car.  
"See ya t'morrow, bright and early."  
He smiled a bit as the doors closed, the blonde taking a seat. It was around nine twenty-five now so he still had time to get everything packed up and ready. Tomorrow morning he would have to remember to get a newspaper that had Batallier's death in it seeing as he had yet to.

The whole ride back to St Charles Avenue, Anthony sat quietly with his eyes on his shoes. Even when he arrived, his eyes were down on the ground as he walked.  
He made sure to have everything organized in his suitcase, bathed, and then went right to bed. Of course, he wasn't able to sleep right away. Instead, he laid awake, looking up at the dark ceiling for the longest time.


	24. Chapter 24

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Thursday, February 10th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Alastor stood watching as the streetcar left his view, eventually turning on his heels to return in the direction he'd come from to go home. His face was expressionless safe for his smile, not a peep leaving his lips when he eventually _did_ return home, shoes off, and jacket up on the stand.

Whether his mother was home or not, Alastor had more pressing matters to attend to. Writing that letter to Anthony for example. He was tired, but he wanted to write this before he tried to sleep for the night.

Lucky for him, his mother was not home, but she would be along soon. Since Batallier's murder, things at the hospital had been rather hectic and all over the place. It seemed to have shocked the entire staff and put them into a panic. Well... _some_ of the employees. The ones that were affected by him the most, all being women, saw it as more of a relief and heavy weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

Sat at his desk, paper below him, and a pen by his left side, Alastor clasped his hands together and stretched out his palms in front of him. There was so much he wanted to say, yet he worried that much of it wasn't important enough to go into a letter.

By the time he did start writing, every word, sentence, and paragraph just flowed and came naturally to him- he found himself so immersed in writing that he didn't hear his mother entering the house from downstairs, despite the unmistakable sound of the front door closing.

Amélie noticed Alastor's bedroom light was on along with his shoes just outside the door on the porch, so she knew he was home now. Taking his shoes and putting them just on the inside, she sighed and took her own off, putting them beside her son's.   
It was near one o'clock in the morning so if Alastor was asleep, she would be willing to wait until the next morning to speak to him about the matters concerning the marks on his neck that she had spotted.

Gathering her skirt, Amélie made her way up the stairs and knocked on her son's bedroom door.  
"Alastor? If you're still awake I would like to have a word with you."  
She spoke, seeing the light still on from under the crack of his door.

Even as the knock at the door came, the man stayed silent. The pen he had pressed to the paper continued writing away, even despite his mother's words. Whether it was wrong to be ignoring his mother or not, Alastor _had_ to get this letter done before he went to sleep. He would speak with his mother in the morning if she still so desired.

Amélie wasn't giving up so easily. She could hear the pen on paper on the other side of the door. She never did this in the past but opened the door anyway, seeing her son hard at work on something at his desk.  
"Alastor. I'd like to get this conversation over with."  
She stated firmly.  
"Who gave you those marks on your neck?"

When the door opened instead of Alastor hearing his mother's footsteps echoing away, he was somewhat surprised. Especially by the question that followed.   
But, he was in no mood to answer that right now, his train of thought was on the edge of being lost, and he was almost finished with part of the letter's draft. And so, whether it was a good idea or not, he ignored his mother, continuing on with writing, reaching across for more ink.

Amélie's jaw seemed to clench when she was met with silence. Now stepping into the room, she walked over to the desk and took his inkwell, putting the cork in it and holding it carefully in her hands.

"Alastor Jacques Levesque. I expect an answer. _Now_."  
She repeated, looking down at her son. She was tempted to look at what he was writing but wouldn't go that far. She was already stepping over a few lines as it was.

Alastor paused, closing his eyes for a moment, and taking his breath as he watched his ink being taken away.   
"Mama, can you not see I am currently preoccupied? If you want to spend your time falsely accusing me of things, then you may do so tomorrow."   
That was that. He understood that his mother was worried, but he knew there was nothing _to_ be worried about. Now his mind had lost what thought he'd been on.

"Do not treat me as if I haven't any idea of what caused those. You're fooling no one with this nonsense."  
She continued as she carefully lowered the collar of Alastor's shirt with one hand, exposing more of the marks.  
"I know very well those are not bruises nor mosquito bites. Who did you engage with?"

Alastor flinched away slightly as his mother lowered his collar, the man lightly batting his the woman's hand away.   
"Mother, I've said it once. I am preoccupied, _please_ may this discussion continue tomorrow. I am not going to listen to your absurd accusations tonight."   
He challenged, looking up into his mother's eyes and raising his chin.

Amélie wasn't going to back down. She knew that if they were going to dismiss this now, they weren't going to end up talking about it at all. Alastor would be starting work again soon and her hours hadn't gotten any better, so it would be back to rarely seeing each other long enough to get a mere hello in.

"Was it Maddie?"  
She pressed.

Alastor immediately found himself scoffing at that, shaking his head as he looked away from his mother, opening a drawer that was in the desk and pulling out another inkwell before pulling the cork.   
"No."   
Was all he curtly said, dipping his pen back into the ink and continuing to write in silence.

Amélie shook her head and put the inkwell she had taken back down onto the desk.  
"You're so much like your father. I could never get through to him either. Always avoiding topics that inconvenience you and running around like a foolish animal. It astounds me."  
She said with great irritation as she headed for the door of his bedroom again so she could change and go to bed. It was clear she wasn't getting anything out of him and things were getting out of hand.

As soon as his father was brought up, Alastor once again paused, his pen hovering above the paper in his grip that tightened slightly at her words.

"If you see more than simply a facial resemblance between that man and me, then you are _greatly_ mistaken."   
Alastor spoke calmly, yet the grip he had on his pen spoke otherwise.   
"If I was _anything_ like him, you would have killed me already, _wouldn't_ you?"   
And just like that, he was facing his mother again, looking at the back of her as she stood by his door.

That, perhaps, might have been a step too far on her part. She stood in the doorway, staring straight ahead as she processed.

Finally giving a sigh, she turned again to face her son.  
"All I wanted were a few simple answers from you. Why is that so difficult? Why is that so much to ask?"

Alastor watched as she turned around, his eyes narrowed slightly.   
"It is an improper thing for me to be discussing, but I can assure you that nothing bad will come from it. Now, if you don't mind, I have to continue writing this letter to Anthony. He leaves early tomorrow."

Amélie took a breath, looking her son over.  
"I know you're not afraid of putting a woman in her place and I know you have more self-control. I expected more of you."  
She replied, raising her chin slightly.  
"Give Anthony my best, assuming you're seeing him off."  
She then stepped out and closed the door behind her.

That didn't go as planned but really, she should have expected it. Alastor always kept to himself and never talked about anything personal with her.   
She supposed she was to blame for that; working all the time and having her son off with others. There was no trust there because she wasn't in his life while he was growing up.   
Another thing she couldn't believe was the fact that she'd brought up her late husband, going as far as comparing Alastor to that disgrace of a man.

Shaking her head at her own hot-headed stupidity, Amélie cleaned up, got changed, and went to bed.

Nothing more was said on Alastor's part, the man simply returning to his writing once his mother had said her scolding words and left his room, moving on to the final letter.   
He was exhausted, so much so that just as he was signing his name at the end of the letter, with his head falling to rest upon his desk, he fell asleep.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ~Just a quick reminder that we have a Patreon you're welcome to join where you will have access to chapters a lot quicker than what we post to the public if you're interested! Link is in travisTea's bio!~

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Thursday, February 10th, 1921  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Anthony hardly slept that night, his mind racing with different scenarios, but that didn't stop him from getting up at five-thirty and take that half an hour to shower and make himself presentable. He wasn't going to put his suit on or formalize himself until he was on the train, not wanting to be sitting for twenty hours uncomfortably. However, he did make sure that everything was pressed and ready at the top, ready to go.

As he was leaving, he gave the hotel staff a proper farewell and was on his way. His father had taken care of payment, so that wasn't necessary. He didn't know how that worked but he certainly wasn't going to complain.

Making his way down the street, the Italian looked around at all of the buildings and streets that he was going to miss.   
"Un ultimo addio, New Orleans. È stato un piacere."  
He sighed as he walked, checking his cigarette count to make sure he had enough for the trip.

Making it to the station just after six, Anthony took a seat on a bench on the platform. The sun wasn't due to start rising for another forty-five minutes, so the lights on the outside of the building were still illuminated.   
No one leaving the city had come yet, assuming there were going to be other travelers.

As time continued, Anthony grew more distraught. Alastor hadn't shown up even as the train could be heard approaching.  
  
  


Alastor on the other hand slept almost _too_ well. It was odd indeed for him to sleep so long, especially given the fact that he was leaned against his desk for the entire night, however, he _had_ been exhausted.

It must have been early, but later than Alastor usually woke that a sound of a door closing from downstairs, his mother leaving the house for work no doubt, suddenly woke the man from where he had sat asleep, jolting up and looking around.   
Groaning softly, mentally scolding himself for falling asleep at his desk, it was then that Alastor's gaze fell to the clock he had on his bedroom wall.   
The late time immediately made him curse, Alastor shooting up out of his chair and gathering Anthony's letter in his hand.

He was out the door in minutes, hair a mess, but with the letter under his arm as he stuck a hat on to make up for his unpresentable appearance. Five minutes after waking and Alastor was running to the streetcar stop, almost missing one which was just pulling up.  
  
  


Anthony sat on the bench, looking around at the people that had begun to gather when he realized that he and Alastor hadn't exchanged addresses, so they wouldn't be able to write to each other unless Anthony did a lot of digging. This realization just made things worse; made him kick himself a hundred times over for getting too attached.

He looked at the watch on his wrist. The train wasn't due to leave until seven forty-five so there was still about half an hour. He would continue to hope that Alastor would arrive until the moment he stepped on board. After that, he would let go and move on.

The train pulled into the station and the other travelers began to line up, Anthony purposefully taking the tail end of the line so he could still hold onto his deteriorating hope.  
The lines moved fairly quickly until there were three people ahead of him... then two... then one. He sighed and fished his ticket out of his pocket, ready to hand it over along with the memories he'd made within New Orleans.  
  
  


Alastor flung himself off the streetcar once it stopped near enough outside the station, the man spotting a train already at the station, clouds of the steam engine filling the air overhead.   
On his way over, he'd managed to neatly seal the letter up in an envelope, having asked someone on the streetcar for a pen they happened to have on them so he could write his address on the back.

Feeling terrible was an understatement. Guilt was also an emotion that for some reason was very new to him, but he was certainly feeling it as he ran to the platform, seeing that most people had already boarded the train. But last in the line to board the train, there he was. Unmistakable. 

"Anthony!"   
Alastor called over the steaming noise of the train, waving the letter up above his head as he ran to where the conductor was taking tickets to board.

Anthony was just about to hand his ticket over when he jolted, hearing his name be called, head whipping in the direction it had come from.  
"Smiles?"  
His eyes widened slightly, looking down at his watch as the conductor took the ticket.  
Anthony wanted to run to meet him halfway but he knew that the train would leave without him, thus leaving him in big trouble with his father.

"Al! I thought y' weren't comin'!"  
The blonde was really fighting the urge to hug the man as he finally got within range.

"Two minutes, son."  
The conductor warned as he punched the appropriate holes in the ticket, handing it back to Anthony.

Alastor was a little out of breath, having been rushing around literally since the moment he woke up, but nonetheless his smile was impossibly wide upon his face. He hadn't missed Anthony- _just_.   
"I am _so_ sorry Anthony, really, I am."   
Alastor began apologetically, glancing across to the conductor with a nod of his head of thanks.   
"I slept longer than I would have liked, and at my desk no less. But, I did manage to finish this before I fell asleep."   
Raising his left hand, the man passed the neatly enveloped letter over to the blonde.   
"It has my address since I realize we never exchanged addresses."

Taking the letter, Anthony's heart lifted from the ground as a bright dimple-filled smile lifted his features. Now putting the newly acquired envelope in his pocket, the blonde extended a hand for a final shake.  
"Thanks, Al. For everythin'. I'll write back as soon as I get home. Expect it in two weeks."  
He grinned, keeping eye contact, his mind screaming for a final kiss but knew he couldn't.

Alastor smiled softly, nodding as he took Anthony's hand, shaking it and letting his grip linger a little longer than what would have been normal before they were interrupted.

"Come on, boy."  
The conductor said as he held out a guiding arm to the train car.  
"We've got a schedule to keep."

Anthony's smile faltered slightly as he let go of Alastor's hand and picked up his suitcase, looking to the conductor before stepping up onto the car.

The conductor pulled a whistle from his pocket and gave two short sounds as soon as he climbed aboard. A few moments later, the train itself gave two short whistles in reply. The wheels began to strain into motion.

He watched as Anthony got into the train, Alastor being unable to avoid acknowledging the slight pain he felt in his chest at watching the blonde have the door close behind him.

Anthony was quick to find a spot at a window that looked out to the platform, opening the window and leaning out.  
"Tell her I'll be back soon! Tell her I love her, too!"  
He called to the man he was leaving behind. Of course, there was no 'her' nor would there ever be. He was really just telling him his own thoughts that couldn't be voiced any other way.

When the window opened, Alastor moved to stand beside it, walking along as the train started to move.

"Don't open the letter until you're in New York!"   
Alastor called loudly over the loudness of the now moving locomotive, the man walking along beside the widow Anthony was leaning out of. Having to start to run a little, Alastor called a little louder.   
"And don't worry, I'll tell her you'll miss her very much!"

And with that, the platform ended and Alastor came to a stop, watching and waving as the train began to disappear into the distance.

Anthony had to stop himself from jumping out again and staying, instead, keeping his head out the window until Alastor was long out of sight, leaning back in and finally taking his seat.  
It made him happy to know that Alastor actually showed up after all and remembered to give his address. Not only that but stay up late just to write the first letter. It was going to be a struggle for him not to open it. He was going to be sitting on the train for quite a long while with nothing to do.

The envelope in question wasn't too heavy, so it just made him more curious. Alastor must have been up really late if he slept in, so why was the envelope so lightweight? Perhaps he wrote a few drafts before sealing the finalized one.

Anthony grabbed the newspaper he picked up and started reading it over, making sure that Batallier's article would be good enough for his father.  
  
  


Alastor found himself standing for a while at the end of the platform, simply staring in the direction the train had gone. It wasn't until he heard a few people starting to gather on the platform again some minutes later, waiting for the next train that the man gathered his thoughts and left the station.

From there, he began to head to Rosie's. There was much to tell her regarding Batallier and his death, and Alastor wanted to inform her properly. The newspapers only told lies and made assumptions after all.

Rosie of course had heard of the murder as it was the talk of the town. She knew there would be mixed emotions about it seeing as there was a mix of his victims and those oblivious to his doings.

She was sat reading the morning paper, Madeline still upstairs getting herself ready for the day.   
Rosie was about to have a sip of her morning tea when she picked up on the sound of footsteps on the front porch.   
Setting the cup down and folded the paper just as a knock was given. She made her way to the door and opened it with a smile that grew upon seeing Alastor.  
"Good morning, Alastor. Please come in, dear."  
She said as she stepped aside to let him in.

He was feeling all sorts of things currently, however, slapped on a smile regardless, and upon seeing Rosie smiling back at him, Alastor stepping into her home.   
"Why, thank you! And what a fine morning it is to see you, Rosie, my dear."   
He grinned, taking off his hat and placing it on the wrack as he entered the home.

Rosie raised a brow at the cheery behavior. Of course, he was always cheery but this was different. She also noticed that his hair was rather messy.   
"Goodness, what's happened? Has the news of Lawrence gotten to you?"  
She asked as she closed the door and went back to the lounge, sitting back down where she was as she picked up her tea again and took the sip.

Alastor took a seat opposite the woman in the lounge, crossing a leg over the other as he raised his chin with an even wider smirk.   
"Oh has it gotten to me indeed. Is it not the most excellent news, Rosie? It was such fun, let me tell you."   
Alastor laughed, leaning back in his seat as he watched Rosie sip at her tea as she listened undoubtedly carefully.

As Alastor raised his chin, some more of his neck became exposed.  
Giving the man a smirk of her own, she looked into her cup.  
"Oh yes, I'm quite sure. Afterward must have been just as equally as fun."  
She smiled to herself as she crossed one leg over the other, keeping a calm exterior.

Alastor, not catching the meaning of the woman's smirk, simply continued on.   
"Why yes, of course, it was Mardi Gras after all. The most celebrated day of the year. It is a given that even after the killing, Anthony and I enjoyed the night."   
He explained, of course keeping it vague. It was near enough true though. He and Anthony _had_ enjoyed very much the rest of that evening leading into the next.

Rosie glanced to Alastor for a moment.  
"You had sex."  
She stated bluntly.

If Alastor had been drinking at that moment, there was no doubt in his mind that he would have spat out whatever he was drinking.

He understood and knew that Rosie could read people _exceptionally_ well, however for her to suddenly come up with that? Well, Alastor quickly concluded that she must have clearly caught a glimpse of his neck as he took a moment to process her sheer bluntness.

Eyes narrowing, the man quickly glanced off to the side before recapturing eye contact with the woman.   
"And what a blunt accusation that is. For one, who do you even say I would have indulged in such taboo acts with, hm? You're quite wrong, Rosie darling. Despite how right you think you are."

"Alastor darling."  
Rosie chuckled.  
"The pause you took, the unkept eye contact as _and_ after I said it, the fact you're more cheerful than your usual self, the marks on your neck, your hair is a mess... need I say more? I can continue if you'd like me to _really_ pick you apart."  
She said calmly as she took a sip of her tea.  
"You hold that post-intercourse glow. Yes, it's a tad faded now but it was your first time, so naturally, it would last a bit longer."  
The woman continued.  
"I cannot say who it might have been with confidence, but I know it happened."

Alastor hated losing as much as Rosie did, especially when he lost to Rosie herself.   
He'd been undoubtedly called out, and while her claims weren't entirely accurate, they were near enough.

Alastor's smile fell slightly to one that displayed more defeat than anything.   
"Am I not allowed to seem more cheerful without you presuming that I fornicated with another? Regardless, you're _not_ entirely right for once."

"Some form of pleasured release was achieved. That's close enough."  
She replied simply, setting her cup down.  
"Dare I ask who? Of course, I could voice my ideas but you might not like that very much."

Alastor tutted at that slightly, rolling his eyes as he glanced across the room again.   
"I don't understand why it matters _who_. My mother clearly reacted in a similar way, wanting to immediately know _who_ and _what_. You can guess away, Rosie my dear, but I have quite a strong feeling you already know."

Rosie's grin only grew.  
"Ah, so you _are_ then. Quite interesting."  
She hummed.  
"If I may ask, what were the circumstances? I thought you said you weren't. Not that it changes my views on you by any means."

Alastor wasn't sure what Rosie's growing grin was supposed to mean, but he guessed from her questions it was glee over how 'right' she was.   
"The circumstances were that we were quite drunk."   
He began, glancing off to the side once again.   
"And I _still_ don't consider myself to be one. I do not look at men in that way at all- in fact, I don't look at _anyone_ in that sort of way. With the singular exception of course. Which is quite bizarre, I understand."

Rosie's eyes seemed to wander the ceiling above for a moment as she began to think.  
"No, you're right. Though I haven't seen the two of you fully interact since all of these new developments."  
She said before shaking her head.  
"No matter. Tell about Anthony's style. I was just reading about it."  
She smiled, deciding to move on to the topic of interest.  
"I understand you were there while it happened."

It saddened Alastor almost, the idea that Rosie might never get to see him interact with Anthony again.

Alastor greatly appreciated the subject change, nodding firmly as the woman spoke.   
"Yes. I watched it happen, and as much as I would have thoroughly enjoyed getting my hands on Batallier myself, Anthony had to do it alone. And what an interesting way to kill indeed. It is apparently a method of killing that their family uses. Which is another matter- Anthony _finally_ admitted to being in the Mafia. I suppose after our... engagements together, he trusted me enough."

"Ah, right once again."  
The woman chuckled.  
"Did he say if it was specific to his family or every family in New York? I know that they'll often refer to the entire organization as a family or even 'the life'."  
Rosie continued. Now that it was confirmed, she had quite a few questions.

Alastor shrugged a little.   
"I'm not quite sure. Anthony didn't talk very much about it. And I don't suppose I'll be speaking about that topic with him any time soon, unfortunately. He left this morning."   
Alastor knew that she had questions, and while he wanted to answer, he didn't know everything yet.

Rosie picked up on the saddened tone in the man's voice when he admitted that the topic of conversation had already gone.  
"Oh, I see. Oh! Did you ask him about his nickname? It's been a while since we've last met. I hope you haven't forgotten to ask. Especially now that he's gone."

Alastor raised a brow at that, slowly nodding as he remembered back to the conversation he and Anthony had minutes before Batallier's death.

"Yes, that was one thing I managed to ask him. He explained his nickname as being given to him due to his middle name being similar, and the fact that he looks like the _last_ person someone would suspect for a crime. The name given to him is Angel."

"Angel... hm. I suppose that does suit him considering the facts provided. He really does look like an innocent child."  
Rosie laughed a little, picking up her teacup and taking that last sip before picking up the newspaper again.  
"By the looks of it, Anthony is very smart. The police are blaming the local mafia families. Of course, no one within those families is going to admit to anything seeing as they all deny there even _is_ a mafia."  
She gave another laugh.  
"Very well played."

"Hm, he's hardly innocent, Rosie. And certainly not a child."   
Alastor chuckled, his smile widening a little.   
"But yes, he is smart. Very smart. And watching him kill Batallier was _awfully_ entertaining. Anthony got what he wanted, and as did I. End of story."

"Good. I'm glad you've enjoyed yourself."  
Of course, Rosie meant in more than one way. It was also interesting to hear Alastor praise someone the way he was. She had never heard him admit things like that before.   
"Will the two of you be staying in contact or is he possibly returning at a predetermined date?"  
She decided to ask.

Alastor once again nodded, lips pursing together.   
"He would like to return and said he would one day. However, for now, we shall be communicating through letters. I have already given him one with my address on it and he promised to write back shortly."   
Alastor explained, looking down at the cup of tea Rosie had been drinking.

Rosie's eyes narrowed as she observed Alastor's body language. He was upset by this topic; that much was clear.   
"You're afraid of something regarding this, aren't you."  
She asked as she folded the newspaper and set it neatly on her lap.

Alastor didn't say anything for a moment, keeping his eye contact with Rosie as he thought.   
"Why do you say that? Do I worry that Anthony may never return? Perhaps."

"I mean in general. Something about all of this has you scared. It could be the fear of getting attached or just feeling something like this in general. As you've said, you haven't felt like this when it came to anyone before, and now there's this sudden change. I would be rather frightened too if I were in that position."  
Rosie replied calmly.   
"I was once, actually."  
She added.

Alastor grew a little quieter if that was possible, listening carefully as Rosie spoke.   
"I think there... are quite a few things for me to be scared of, Rosie. As weak and foolish as that sounds. There are things I _feel_ for Anthony that... I don't know if I completely like just yet. So yes. I am scared, to tell you the truth."

Rosie gave a nod.  
"There is nothing weak about being scared. It's good that you are. Fear protects you from things you subconsciously see as threatening. Recognizing that you're afraid only increases your chances of surviving. Now you can plan ahead and work through these fears."  
She explained.  
"To make things better, Anthony has gone, so that leaves you time to process things on your own rather than having to struggle through that added pressure of having that person practically breathing down your neck."  
The woman then smiled warmly.  
"You know I'm here to help you through it. Even if you'd like me to shut my mouth and just listen to whatever it is you need to say."

It was at times like these, times where Rosie's wise and informative words made all the sudden sense in the world, that Alastor appreciated her the most.   
Slowly nodding along as she spoke, it really got Alastor thinking. More so about what Anthony had told him that night between the two of them. The night where Anthony had told him that he loved him.   
"Yes... I think you're right. Well, you always are, hah. Thank you, Rosie dear."

The woman gave a slow nod. She really did see Alastor as her own son; one of the few men she could fully tolerate no matter the time of day. Hell, she liked him more than her own daughter. That wasn't saying much though. There were days she seriously contemplated poisoning the girl's tea, always whining about Alastor and how he doesn't return her affections.

"I've had a thought about Anthony though. I'm not sure if this is correct, but I think he might not have been fully initiated into the mafia life yet. Once you take the oath, you're not allowed to acknowledge or admit to anything to anyone outside of the Family, otherwise, you will be punished severely. Of course, I don't have all of the inside information on any of that."  
She hummed, stating her sudden thoughts.

Alastor understood that the Mafia was a rather dangerous thing to be apart of. And naturally, there was that repressed sort of deep worry that Anthony may be harmed in some sort of way- it was a feeling that was synonymous with something that Alastor wasn't one hundred percent quite sure of yet.

"You could be correct, yes. However, anything that Anthony tells me is never spoken of again- at least, _you_ are the only person I speak with. Nobody is to find out, therefore nobody that I don't want to get hurt is hurt."

Rosie nodded once again, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket to give a small cough into before clearing her throat.

"In regards to that, you know I keep to myself. There is not an ounce of trust with anyone else on my part. Anything you tell me has never been repeated nor will it ever be."  
She reminded him. It was strange to see Alastor so eager to protect someone aside from his mother or Rosie herself, though, Rosie knew very well how to protect herself and Alastor was aware of that.

Alastor trusted Rosie completely, and she knew that as well. He also knew that whatever he told her was always in complete confidentiality and vice versa. 

"Now, Madeline will be along shortly. I suggest you run off before she comes down and insists you and her have an outing..."  
The woman sighed with a shake of her head.

"Yes, you're quite right... I am in no mood for an outing, unfortunately. I fear I may have upset my mother last night so I must be on my way to return home before she does."   
Alastor sighed, slowly standing from the chair, looking down at himself.   
"I apologize for my appearance this morning, Rosie. I am hardly presentable."

Rosie stood from her seat, setting the newspaper aside.  
"It's quite alright. Better hurry though, if Madeline sees you like this, she'll get the wrong idea and I won't hear the end of it."  
She said as she moved to the door and opened it for the man.  
"We'll be in touch, my dear."  
She then reached up and pulled Alastor's collar up a bit more to help cover the marks a bit more.  
"Run along."

Alastor nodded in Rosie's direction as he found the door and stepped out, watching as Rosie pulled up his collar as he put the hat on his head again.   
"I shall talk soon."   
With that, he turned away and heard the door closing behind him.  
And just like he said he would, Alastor began on his way home.


	26. Chapter 26

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Friday, February 11, 1921  
New York City  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Giovanni and Maria pulled into a parking space of Grand Central Station in New York City at four-thirty, fifteen minutes before Anthony was due to arrive. Their father had initially intended to send his eldest son by himself but his daughter seemed to be extremely keen on going too; something Giovanni wasn't exactly happy about but allowed it anyway.

Sitting in a black 1920 Nash Touring, the dark-haired man patted the steering wheel of his car, looking at his sister who sat in the front seat beside him, clearly excited as she strained to keep herself from bouncing in her seat while looking out the passenger side window.  
Taking the cigarette that sat between his lips, he sighed.  
"Calm down, Molly. You're gunna ruin my motorcar."  
He said as he pushed a bit of his dark hair back out of his face.

With a leg crossed over the other, Maria sat with her elbow leaning on the widow of the car, head chin resting on her palm as she practically buzzed from her excitement.   
"How can I _possibly_ be calm when I ain't seen Tony in forever! Are y' not excited too?"

Abruptly sitting up, she reached for her brother's cigarette box that sat on the dashboard of the car and opened it up. She knew very well that her father had quite the hypocritical distaste for her smoking, going on occasional rants about how it wasn't something a woman did, but that was why she enjoyed going out with her brothers when she could. They didn't care.

"And I'm not gunna ruin your precious machine either, Gio. Don't worry about it."   
She spoke back, ignoring her older brother's usual 'cheery' attitude to things, not letting that get her down on this joyful day. Maria was excited of course, and she had every right to be. Her twin brother was finally coming home after a long trip away- at least, to her, it was long. The two of them hadn't ever been apart for more than a day before.

"I think we should get out and wait on the platform. Don't want the train bein' early and us missin' Tony."   
She spoke with the cigarette between her lips now too, lighting it up with a sigh.   
"For safe measure."

Giovanni rolled his eyes and took a drag of his cigarette.  
"He's been away for over a month. I think he can handle a train station on his own for God's sake."  
He said, adjusting his overcoat.  
"As surprised as I am about that..."  
He added in a muttered tone.   
It was obvious that Giovanni didn't think Anthony would be able to complete a task of this mass of importance.

Carefully placing the cigarette box back where it had been on the dashboard, Molly turned to the side again, continuing to people watch out through the window.   
"I know he can handle it, I wasn't talkin' about that. I just can't wait to see him and don't wanna be late for him."

The man checked his watch and looked out at the snowy ground.  
"Give it another five minutes then we'll go in."  
He stated.

Five minutes. She had waited this long already, so five minutes were going to be a breeze.

It was unfortunately barely even two before Molly started to get ready to get out of the car.   
"Pass me my hat will you? I threw it in the back."

"Aye yai yai, why'd y' put it back there in the first place, woman? Non sono la tua cameriera..."  
The man said as he turned and looked before reaching an arm back and scooped up the accessory on his index finger, bringing it forward and holding it for her to take.  
Once she took it, he took that as a sign that he didn't have a choice but to get out of the car and go in, seeing as he was to stay close to his sister and make sure she was well protected.

Opening the door, the cold winter air hit him hard. Keeping his head tilted downwards, Giovanni shut the car door and put the key in his coat pocket as he joined Molly on the passenger side so they could walk in together.

With her blonde locks tied back and now stuffed into her warm hat, Molly stepped out into the cold, shivering as her gloved hand flicked her cigarette away, having no use for it now that her mind was elsewhere.   
"Boy, am I gunna tip a few after this. What's a girl gotta do t' keep warm, eh?"   
She spoke up, spotting her brother now beside her.

As they began to walk, Molly pulled up the collar of her long overcoat, glad that she'd remembered her hat this time.   
"You thought about what 'cha first gunna say to Tony after not seein' him for so long?"

"Tsh, no. I don't owe him nothin' and he don't owe me nothin'. I know you probably got a whole speech lined up for him already. He doesn't need me addin' on t' that."  
Giovanni replied, his dark eyes scanning their surroundings at all of the people, making sure none of them were suspicious-looking or making eyes at his sister; a very normal thing for him to do.

The man opened the door to the building for the woman, allowing her to go in first before following along and walking by her side down the grand staircase to the left. He looked up at the four-sided clock in the center of the long massive hallway, seeing that they still had plenty of time. Keeping to the left side of the hall, Giovanni made his way to the proper waiting area for the correct platform.

When they got inside, Molly visibly relaxed at the slightly less cold temperature, looking at the large clock as they entered the terminal.   
"Y' know, you two don't have to be owin' each other things to be able t' do somethin' nice for each other. You're brothers after all."

As they began to move further to the left side of the hall, Molly's eyes moved up to watch her brother's gaze, seeing his dark eyes shifting left and right, observing everyone that neared and passed.   
"And on the topic of things y' don't have to do... being so cautious is another thing. We're at a _station_ , Gio. Nothin's gunna happen."   
She huffed a little with a small roll of her eyes. The number of times she'd asked Giovanni to _stop_ being so cautious was almost too many to count, and every single time the answer was always the same, but it was worth a try anyway.

The man's eyes narrowed as he looked down at his sister for a moment and then back to looking around.  
"It's my one of my jobs t' keep ya safe. If y' weren't here, I'd be a little more relaxed."  
He stated for probably the millionth time.  
"Pops told me t' keep ya safe whenever ya wanted t' go someplace and that's exactly what I'm gunna do 'til the day I'm put in a Chicago overcoat."  
He continued with a lowered voice.

Molly was only half listening to her brother as he went off about how important it was that he protected her, it being his job. If it hadn't have been for the sound of the train getting louder, she would have responded with an argument of her own, but alas, the train coming into the station put those thoughts at rest.

The sound of a train was growing louder as it pulled into the terminal, a few moments passing before whistles blew and passengers began to pile off into the building, Anthony being one of the last with his suitcase in hand, fine and pressed suit on and blonde hair slicked back nicely, just as expected of him; of course, he changed about an hour or two before arriving.  
The ride was unkind to him, being unable to sleep not only because it was uncomfortable but also because there was an envelope nagging at him the whole way, just _begging_ to be opened.  
With his head down, his coat draped over his arm, he slowly looked up and around, tired green eyes scanning the platform for his family.

Giovanni looked at his watch and hummed in a mild satisfaction.  
"Early. Perfect."

"Early just as I predicted."   
Molly nodded in Giovanni's direction with a hint of smugness as her gaze landed on all of the passengers that were filing off of the train and onto the platform. Eventually, she spotted her twin brother.   
Immediately Molly's attention was on Anthony, the woman slowly running up to him with open arms.

Giovanni trailed behind his sister, hands in his pockets with narrowed eyes at his little brother for a moment before going back to scanning their surroundings again.

"Tony! It's me, Molly!"   
She laughed jokingly, coming to a stop in front of her twin and giving him a once over.

Anthony gave a bit of a smile as soon as he spotted his sister, picking up his pace a little.  
"I see ya, Molly. I know my own sister from a million miles away."  
He smiled a little more.

"Hm, you're lookin' different."   
Taking his suitcase from his hands, the woman quickly palmed it off to a rather unsatisfied Giovanni.

The blonde man went to grab his suitcase back but it had already been flung at the twins' older brother.

"Oi! Be careful...!"  
Giovanni scolded with a growl as he caught the flying object, looking down at his brother now.  
"Ya sprouted an inch or two, Angel. Musta been all that sun down there, ah?"  
The eldest brother acknowledged before running his fingers up through the blonde locks of the younger brother.  
"Ya need a hair cut too."

"Oh! Aye, no touchin', Gio, c'mon!"  
Anthony replied with his thick Italian personality back in full swing now that he was in the familiar company again, swatting his brother's hand away before grabbing his suitcase back.

"I missed ya so much, Rigatoni. Y' don't even know."   
With that, Maria pulled Anthony in for a hug, tightly squeezing him, which he gratefully returned briefly before Giovanni rolled his eyes.

"The reunion can wait, dad's waitin' back home for ya, runt."  
The eldest brother stated, his eyes seeming to catch a man looking in their direction, Giovanni returning the stare with an almost warning glint in this dark irises.

Letting the hug last at least a few seconds, Molly soon pulled away, looking back at Anthony again.   
"You're gunna need to put that jacket on. Goddamn cold out there."   
She nodded, beginning to follow Giovanni as he led them away from the platform and towards the exit.

"I had a whole welcoming speech for ya, Tony. But Gio went n' ruined it, so I ain't gunna say it now. Unless ya _dying_ t' hear it, 'course."   
She laughed again, looking to her older brother for a second.   
"After papa speaks with ya, you've gotta tell me _everythin'_ that happened while you were away, eh?"

Anthony could already tell that the cold was going to be a shock to him after being in such a beautifully warm climate for the last month and a bit.

He almost paused at the request. There were obviously details he was going to have to leave out, which was going to be painful.   
"Hold this for me, wouldja?"  
He asked, holding his suitcase to his sister so he could put his coat on.

Taking his suitcase back when he made sure his coat was all done up, Anthony braced himself for the crisp and frigid weather, Giovanni opening the door for the twins before leading them back to the car.

The shock of the cold was more intense than he thought.  
"Oh! How do we _live_ like this?!"  
Anthony asked in disbelief, his hands and face being attacked aggressively by the harsh cold.

"Stop complainin'. Be glad y' got outta this at all."  
Giovanni stated as he brought them back to the car, opening the back door for the twins, assuming they wanted to stay together as they always did.

"Hasn't warmed up _once_ since you left."   
Molly nodded as they returned to the car, the woman climbing into the backseat before Anthony, scooting along to the end for her twin to get in after her.   
"But look at you, you gotta tan! I'm guessin' you'll be missin' the sun, huh?"

Crossing a leg and leaning against the window again, Molly waited for everyone to get in and for Giovanni to start up the car before she scooted a little closer to her twin and whisperer.   
"Don't worry, y' can tell me _everythin'_ when wet blanket over there ain't around."

Anthony chuckled lightly as he put his suitcase on the floor for the time being, the letter _still_ nagging to be opened even through the distractions.

"There is _one_ thing I gotta mention later... it's kinda important t' me."  
Anthony sighed, keeping his voice low as he felt the envelope in his pocket.   
Molly was the one to always get the mail, so she was going to need to know to expect letters from New Orleans from time to time.

The ride home was rather quiet, Giovanni always liking the silence as he drove. The streets were as busy as they always had been with cars and people. It was nice to be in familiar settings again, but something just didn't feel right about being back. Almost like this didn't feel like home anymore.

As soon as they made it back to the Ragnatela estate, Anthony looked up at it as they pulled up. The mansion itself made him really grasp the reality of the happiness he had gained while away would be sucked out of him once again.   
Fortunately, though, he would be receiving that happiness back in small dosages every two weeks or so, and God was he ever looking forward to it.

"Go up and put your suitcase in your room, clean yourself up and come t' dad's office when you're done. Make sure y' got all the documents and the newspaper with ya. He's gunna need all that."  
Giovanni said as they entered the massive grand foyer, marble floors throughout the grand entrance.

"Yeah yeah, I know."  
Anthony sighed as the warmth of inside welcomed him from the harsh outside. He set his things down and handed his winter coat to his sister to be put away in the coatroom.  
"Meet me up there, yeah?"  
He said to her before picking up his belongings and headed up the right side of the split and inwardly curved grand staircases.

"Don't keep him too long, Molly. Dad ain't gunna be long with him."  
Giovanni stated as he gave his sister his coat before making his way to the left corridor on the other side of the stairs, where their father's office was located.

Walking with her brother most of the way as she removed her gloves, hat, and overcoat, Molly nodded as she took all of the coats to the coatroom.  
"Yeah yeah, I won't keep ya long Tony."   
She called, making her way to the right corridor past the right set of the stairs and took to the first door on her left, where she proceeded to hang everything up neatly and making sure everything was orderly within the room.  
Molly smoothed the skirt of her dress out before exiting and heading up the right staircase to meet with Anthony in his room.   
The door to her brother's room was ajar slightly when she arrived, still knocking on the door regardless.   
"Tony, y' wanna talk right now briefly?"

Anthony was in the midst of carefully opening the envelope Alastor had given him when Molly came up, making him wait once again as he quickly put it under his pillow.  
"Uh, yeah, come in."  
He replied as he popped his suitcase open, starting to gather the documents and things he was going to need to give to his father.

Turning towards his sister as she entered, Anthony offered a smile.  
"Happy belated birthday, Molls."  
He said.  
"I woulda brought somethin' back for ya but I was kinda caught up in other things..."

Pushing the door open and stepping in once Anthony spoke up, Molly moved to lean against the wall slightly as she pushed the door closed behind her.

"It's alright. I know you were busy."   
She smiled, leaning her neck slightly to look at the documents Anthony was pulling out of his suitcase.   
"Happy belated birthday to ya too. I got y' somehtin' but I'll wait till papa's finished his business with ya. We can talk properly then too if you're not busy."

Anthony was exhausted from the trip home but he had some things he wanted to do before sleeping.   
"That's sounds good."  
He nodded as he dug through the clothes he had and pulled out the pieces of his gun and the extra bullets, putting all of that on his nightstand.  
"So ah... if I happen t' get any mail, I'm probably gunna need ya t' hide it from pops and Gio if that's possible."  
He stated, trying not to sound too weird or secretive about it as he started to remove articles of clothes from his suitcase and set them aside so they could be properly washed.

Molly watched as Anthony dug through his clothing and pulled out his gun, the woman narrowing her eyes in suspicion at her brother's rather odd request.   
"Well yeah, 'course. But _why_? What 'cha got to hide?"  
This immediately made her mind wander and begin to come up with a few possibilities- the majority quite insane and completely impossible, but a few still possible.   
"You in debt or somehtin'? Someone put a hit on ya?"

He could think of some cheesy things to say in regards to her guesses such as 'I'm in debt with cupid' and 'someone put a hit on my heart', but of course kept all of that nonsense to himself.

Anthony gave his sister an amused look paired with a chuckle.  
"No, nothin' like that. I just made a friend that I promised t' keep in contact with."  
He replied then paused.  
"Y' really think I'm dumb enough t' get myself in that kinda trouble?"  
Another pause.  
"Actually, don't answer that."

Molly's face immediately lit up, her hands pressing together as a wide and joyous smile crept up.  
"You made a friend? You gotta tell me everythin'! I'm so happy for you Rigatoni. I _knew_ you wouldn't just be focusing on the hit. And y' know what? I'm glad you made a friend."

Anthony gave a small huff of a chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck a bit.  
"Ah, yeah, I mean... he ain't parta this kinda business per se, and I don't want anyone knowin' 'cause they'll just assume I was slackin' off the whole time."  
Which he kind of was at times, but that wasn't important. The hit was done and he was home now. The details didn't matter.

Anthony then reached under his pillow and grabbed the envelope, putting it in his pocket again so he'd know it was safe and his sister wouldn't find it and read it. He didn't know what the contents of it consisted of so he didn't want her finding out about the romance that took place if it was in the writing.

"Alright. I'm gunna go talk t' dad now real quick. Help me out by unpackin' and I'll be back up in a jiffy."  
He said as he gathered the stack of documents and the newspaper before heading for the door.

Nodding once again, Molly moved over to Anthony's suitcase.   
"Yeah, go talk with him."   
She smiled.   
"When y' come back up again, I'll give ya your present, aye?"

Anthony gave a nod and offered a smile to her before leaving his room, going down the stairs and to the left corridor, turning left again and straight ahead was where Giovanni stood just outside of the door at the very end.

"Took ya long enough. Y' didn't even clean up."  
The man scolded with a roll of his eyes.  
"Too late now, I guess."

Anthony bit the inside of his cheek so he wouldn't say anything stupid, his brother giving two knocks before opening the door, the two going in and closing the door behind them.

Without a word, Henry took the cigar from between his teeth and set it in the ashtray before holding a hand out to the blonde for the papers.

Anthony acted promptly and approached the pristine mahogany desk, carefully handing all of the papers to his father.  
"This was all he had in his office regardin' his s-"  
He was cut off by his father silently raising a hand as he started to look over the documents.

There were at least five minutes of silence in the room between all three men aside from the rustling of papers. That five minutes felt like an eternity to Anthony, afraid that he might have missed something or didn't get enough information after all.

Gesturing for Anthony to come forward, his father stood from his seat and moved out from behind his desk.  
Placing a hand on his son's shoulder, Henry gave a nod.  
"Y' done good, Tony. I'm proud of ya. Didn't think y' could do it but y' pulled through."  
He stated, his expression not changing but his words were genuine; Anthony could tell.  
"I'll make a few calls and have ya set up for this Sunday."

With a nod, Anthony kept his smile at bay, knowing that if he smiled, his father would scold him.

Bringing his hand up, Henry ran his fingers up through Anthony's hair just as Giovanni did at the station.  
"Y' need a haircut and y' look tired. Go take care of yourself. Gio will give ya the details when I get 'em."

With a bow of his head, Anthony gave his quiet thanks before leaving the office and made his way back up to his bedroom where Molly was still unpacking.

Meanwhile, Molly took her time in unpacking all of Anthony's belongings for him, unfolding his clothes neatly and hanging a few of them back up in his closet.   
Gathering what she presumed needed washing, she put that in a pile to be washed.  
Soon enough, Anthony returned, Molly looking towards the door as she unfolded a shirt of his.   
"It go alright? Papa wasn't too cold towards ya, no?"

Anthony closed the door behind him and leaned back against it, taking a long deep breath.  
"Couldn't have gone better."  
He said with a sigh and a slight smile. He was actually elated with the outcome.  
"Need a haircut and look tired but that was the only criticism I got from him. Kinda scary seein' him proud like that."  
He laughed a bit before moving over to the bed and sat down, rubbing his eyes before taking the envelope out of his pocket and looked it over. He wanted to open it so badly.

His eyes then looked around the room quickly, landing on the wardrobe. Getting up again, he opened the doors and started looking through the small boxes he had inside. He was going to save every letter from Alastor and needed a good place to hide them.   
He trusted Molly enough to know she wouldn't go snooping around if he asked her not to.

"Y' look _more_ than tired, Tony."   
Molly laughed too, catching her brother rubbing his eyes. Definitely exhausted.   
"That from your friend?"   
Molly then asked as she spotted Anthony taking out the envelope, a pile of clothes in her arms as she made her way over to the wardrobe as well, but just to hang things up.   
"I can finish up here. You go and sleep, y' look like Hell."

Anthony shook his head as he took out a box and brought it over to his bed. It was only a shoebox but it would do for now.  
"No, I'm gunna wait 'till after dinner t' sleep. I'm starvin' and don't want my sleep schedule t' get all messed up."  
He stated as he started opening the envelope. He couldn't wait any longer. It had been on his mind for the last twenty hours and now that he was home, he could honor Alastor's request of waiting until he was home. He didn't care if his sister was in the room with him. He would share whatever details he saw fit and would tell her about all of the things they did together without exposing himself.

"Well, if y' wanna finish off your clothes, then I'll start on dinner. I know we haven't had time to talk properly about your trip yet, but we'll get time. Promise."   
Following Anthony over to his bed, Molly briefly perched herself on the end, watching as he opened the plain envelope with rather neat cursive writing on the back.   
"So... this friend if yours. What's their name?"

"His name's Alastor. I call him Smiles though 'cause he's _always_ smilin'."   
Anthony replied with a bit of a smile as he remembered the man's features.  
"He was the first person I really met when I got there. Got myself lost and he helped me get t' where I needed t' go."  
He said as he pulled out the paper, a stem of dried and pressed flowers fell out as well. Picking up the flowers, Anthony recognized it to be the blue moon phlox; the flowers he drew the first time they went out on the bayou to Alastor's secret shed. Fond memories indeed.

Molly paused a moment her eyes scanning over her brother's features and his reaction to seeing _flower_ s being in the letter too.   
"Huh, a flower. That's pretty sweet."   
She huffed a laugh, leaning across Anthony to try and get a look at the letter for herself.   
"Can I see the letter when y' done readin' it?"

It didn't look like too long of a letter from what Molly could see as she looked over. A whole page at least and the flower seemed to be the only thing with it too.

Anthony glanced down at the paper before holding it closer to himself.  
"If there ain't anythin' too personal in it, sure. Otherwise, I'll summarize it for ya."  
He said as he held out the pressed and dried flowers to his sister to look at for the time being.  
"Careful with those."  
He said as he started to read the letter over.

Molly raised a brow slightly as Anthony held the paper closer so that she had no way of reading the thing even over his shoulder.   
It was strange since the two of them never hid _anything_ from each other. So if Anthony _was_ hiding something, it must have been for a good reason. Right?

Even so, Molly held her palm out as her brother placed the delicate flower in the center, the woman bringing it closer to her face so she could study it up close.   
"It's pretty."

Anthony glanced up at his sister and nodded.  
"That, my dear, is blue moon phlox."  
He said in a way that almost mimicked Alastor with a small wiggle of his head from side to side and a raised chin then chuckled lightly.

With a nod, still studying the flower, Molly repeated what her brother had said.   
"Blue moon phlox. Hm. See, if ya hadn't said its name, I woulda guessed that. For sure."

"Smiles had me sketch it for him. He likes t' garden and I guess study plants or somethin'. Can't draw very well though."  
He chuckled again, looking back down at the letter.

Gently handing the flower back, Molly raised a slight brow, her smile widening.   
"Haha, not every day y' come across a man who much likes gardenin'. Or maybe that's just down in N'Orleans."   
Molly laughed a little.

Anthony grew silent as he started to read, only giving a soft and slow 'I don't know' in regards to her question. He didn't quite hear all of it because he was so immersed.

_Dear Anthony,_

_The flower I sent you, do you recognize it? It's a Blue Moon Phlox, in case your memory doesn't serve you too well. But I can't imagine that you would forget. You seem to always be on the ball, mostly._

Anthony raised a brow, feeling rather proud of himself as he was recognized as smart, _mostly_.

_Enclosed on the back of this letter is my address so you may write back after you've read this. I hope that your long journey back to New York goes smoothly and that you don't miss old New Orleans too much. I know you quite enjoyed your stay here._

_Your company was beyond anything that I could have both asked for and imagined happening. From simply a passer-by, you somehow managed to weasel your way closer and closer to me, and for once, I didn't mind. I don't mind. _

As he read, his smile slowly grew more and more, a hand making its way up to his cheek as he remembered the careful touch of Alastor's hand on his face.

_The evening that I write this, I find myself deep in thought about what you said to me the night we spent together, and the way I responded to you._   
_Anthony, I don't think I am ready to love somebody in the way that a wife loves her husband and vise versa. Familial love exists between my mother and me, however anything more with another human being has never crossed my mind. But, as there usually are, there are doubts in my mind. I may not be ready now, but perhaps if we were to meet again in the distant future, I could be capable._

Anthony's smile did find itself faltering slightly at this but he did understand, so his smile picked right back up again as he continued to read.

_As I have stated many times over to you in private, you infatuate me, Anthony. For a man with such a small height, there is so much to you that I have yet to figure out._

_There is so much I wish to say, but I suppose for now this will have to do. Wish your sister a belated Happy Birthday from me. Write back soon._

_Yours truly, Smiles._

"He used the nickname I gave him..."  
He muttered, his smile extremely wide now as he skimmed over the entire thing once more.

Molly quietly watched her twin's face as he read the letter sent by a supposed friend he'd made on his trip. She watched as a joyfully wide smile spread across his face, she watched as that smile faltered slightly and then picked up again, and she watched as Anthony brought a hand up to his face, his fingers brushing his cheek.   
His eyes were narrowed and his brows furrowed in fondness. And it was then that Molly realized what she was possibly witnessing right before her very eyes.

It was a certain look on Anthony that she wasn't familiar with. And she'd seen Anthony wear near every emotion possible over the years- but this one was new.   
She knew Anthony better than anyone, sometimes even better than himself, so she of course understood what was probably happening here; but whether Anthony chose to tell her or not, that wasn't down to her.   
"This, uh, Alastor guy. What's he like?"

Anthony's brows raised and his smile became calmer as he was pulled back to the present, eyes moving up to look at his sister.  
"Hm? Oh, he's a real swell guy. Tall, brown hair, brown eyes, tanned skin..."  
He trailed off a bit, eyes wandering down to the mattress they were sat on as he remembered the details, small flashes of memories consisting of their night together after Batallier had been taken care of.

Shaking his head to keep his mind under control, he looked back up to Molly.  
"He just turned nineteen a month back, lives with his mom, Amélie, real sweet woman. Actually went over and cooked for the both of 'em once. A lot happened that I'll have t' tell ya about t'morrow."

Scooting back on Anthony's bed a little more, leaning back on an elbow, Molly tilted her head as her brother spoke, smiling a little as she heard about him cooking while away.

"An older man huh? Why Tony, how _scandalous_ of ya."   
Molly suddenly blurted out with a laugh before quickly covering her mouth, realizing how that must have sounded.   
"Oh- Tony no didn't mean it like _that_. I meant it in a friend way, ya know. Y' chose a good friend. He sounds wonderful, Anthony."

Anthony's expression became a bit unreadable, a pink dusting finding its way to his cheeks at the remark.   
"Ah, no, I know what 'cha meant. Don't worry 'bout it."  
He replied with a nervous smile, scratching the back of his head a bit.  
"He's really somethin' else though. I'll tell ya more t'morrow though. Got some juicy details that pops and Gio can't know about."  
He said, referring to the fact that Alastor was a killer as well, along with the fact that he was there with him when he took the target out.   
He had no intention of telling his sister about the romance that ensued between them over the last days of his stay, afraid of what might take place if she did find out about it.

"Juicy details huh? Well, now you've said it, ya ain't allowed to take that back. I'll be askin' ya till the day y' die otherwise."   
Chuckling once more, Molly began to stand up, stretching her arms out slightly before she turned towards the door.   
"I'll go start makin' dinner. The sooner it's done, the sooner ya can get some sleep."

Anthony gave a small laugh and nodded.  
"In the meantime, I'll write him back and have it sent out first thing in the mornin'."  
He paused before calling to his sister again before he forgot.  
"Oh! Smiles says happy birthday."  
He said, then sighed as he looked over the flowers that were given to him once more before putting them into the box for safekeeping.   
Then he got up and grabbed a pen and some paper from a drawer in his desk and sat down, beginning to write back to the man in New Orleans.


	27. Chapter 27

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Friday, February 11, 1921  
New Orleans  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

The evening after Anthony's leave came around quicker than Alastor would have liked; mainly because his mother was due back any moment now, and he had decided to take this as an opportunity to properly apologize for his dismissive actions towards his mother the night prior.

The man sat in the armchair in the lounge, his arms outstretched with a cigarette resting between his fingers as he watched the ticking clock upon the wall. Any moment now.

"Mother... I apologize for my behavior. It was immature, unnecessary, and quite frankly very rude of me to be ignoring you in such a way."   
He muttered under his breath, trying to think of what to say. His mother didn't usually accept any physical apologies, so while it would have been nice to get her a gift as an apology, words spoke louder than actions in her mind.

Amélie was along near six o'clock that evening, a tired sigh leaving her lips as she took her shoes off outside and brought them in as well as Alastor's, leaving them by the door.  
Setting her things down as well, she brushed the loose strands of hair out of her face and made her way towards the stairs. Before she could get far though, she noticed Alastor sitting in the lounge.

"Oh, there you are. I thought you would be upstairs."  
She said as she stopped and smoothed out the skirt of her uniform.  
"Are you ready to discuss or are you in need of some more time?"  
The woman asked, figuring he was probably upset that his friend was about to leave the night before and was now possibly missing Anthony, so his mind wasn't in the right place to be discussing his actions.

Alastor immediately sat up as he heard his mother stepping into the house and just passing the living room before stopping.   
"I hope your day at work was pleasant. And yes, we may discuss now, I have a few things to say."

Alastor didn't need to give himself any more time, otherwise, he feared he might never get around to speaking about this with his mother. It still somewhat pained his heart whenever he thought back to that night with Anthony they shared, but of course, his mother was never going to know the specifics. His explanation was going to be vague, but hopefully enough.

Nodding, the woman entered the lounge and sat down across from her son. Giving him another nod, Amélie took a breath and cleared her throat.  
"Right, well, I suppose I will let you have the floor considering you've got things on your mind already."  
She gestured for him to go ahead with whatever it was he wanted to say. She was far too tired from her shift to truly know where to start herself, so she appreciated that Alastor was already on board with this.

Nodding once, Alastor took a breath before beginning what he had planned.   
"Right, well first I wanted to apologize to you for what happened yesterday evening. The things I said- or rather _didn't_ say, it was childish and immature of me and I am sorry."  
He knew it wouldn't be long before his mother started asking questions, but that was okay too. Alastor had thought long and hard about what he was to say.

"I appreciate the apology. After deliberating today while at work, I figured it was down to your friend leaving this morning that had you rather agitated."  
She replied.

"Yes, it seems Anthony's leave had me quite distracted as I was trying to write the letter to him. And I apologize once again if you felt I was ignoring you."  
Alastor explained, slowly nodding.

"I must apologize as well though. I shouldn't have intruded nor pushed as far as I had in comparing you to a disgrace. That was wrong of me. You are nothing like your father and I am extremely grateful for that."  
She gave a small smile, pausing before continuing to the topic she was so eager about.  
"Now, I know I said I would really like grandchildren, but not at the expense of a young woman's reputation. I don't need to know a name nor any details. All I would like is to know for certain that the chance is either zero or very very low; and if it turns out this woman _could be_ or _is_ with child, we will have a further discussion later. It is still far too early to know anything."

As the next topic came up, the one which Alastor expected, he simply nodded again, sighing.   
"You don't need to worry, Mama. I am certain that the chance of there being a child from this is most definitely zero. And if there so happens to be a young woman with child that we know, then rest assured it was not by me."   
He spoke calmly yet confidently, knowing that his mother would appreciate this information, despite how irrelevant it was to the nature of the marks on his neck.

His mother nodded, appreciating the reassurance.   
"Thank you. That is really all I wanted to know. I'm sorry for thinking you were so irresponsible. I know you're a smart boy and that you've been raised better than that."  
She replied.

Amélie paused, deciding to turn the topic away from that now that it had been discussed.  
"I suppose you haven't heard from Anthony yet and won't for a while. I hope he's made it home alright."  
She hummed in thought. She really did enjoy it when the Italian was around and hoped he would return soon, knowing Alastor and herself were going to miss him greatly.

Alastor appreciated the subject change and nodded in response to his mother presuming that he was going to be missing Anthony. He was, very much so.   
"Yes, I do hope he returned alright. Letters take two weeks to arrive from New York, so I won't be expecting anything for at least that long."   
He replied.

"Anyway, I suppose I'll start on some dinner. I have the next two days off, so you and I may be able to do something together when you finish work."  
She smiled as she stood from her seat.

Alastor raised a brow as his mother mentioned having time off.   
"Oh? You never take time off. What's the occasion?"

"Well, things are changing drastically at the hospital now that Lawrence is gone. We've been assured that we have enough saved from his previous funding to make it through but we are taking extra care with what we still have, fewer shifts for the nurses considering it was only upon his request so many of us were there at a time. Fewer workers at once, less money being used."  
Amélie explained with a sigh. She didn't want to go into much more detail than that in regards to _why_ the man had made such a request, but none of it mattered now. He was gone and his reign was finally over.  
"I've been given more time off due to how much I was on the clock since Lawrence came around, and it's not going to be an issue for anyone. We were always overstaffed with hardly anything to do."

Alastor couldn't help but smile a little knowing that finally, his mother would be in no more pain. Batallier was dead and gone, and life carried on.   
"I think that's good."   
Alastor nodded, standing up from the armchair to face his mother.   
"You overwork yourself anyway. Both here, and at the hospital. Why, a two-day break is certainly what you need, mama."  
Taking his mother's hand, he gave it a gentle squeeze.  
"You don't have to worry about that man anymore. He's dead and he's not coming back. You can forget he even existed." 

The woman gave a warm smile, one that could warm the coldest of rooms, one that hadn't manifested in a very long time. She was overjoyed to have yet another abuser stripped from her life, the weight off of her back once again.

"Yes, it is quite fortunate. Between you and me though, I would personally like to find the one responsible and thank them. Quite the service they've done for many _many_ people."  
She replied, squeezing her son's hand in return for a moment before letting go and making her way to the kitchen.

Alastor's smile could only grow as he heard that, making a mental note to write down his thanks to Anthony when he next sent him a letter.   
"I'm sure if the killer _is_ ever found, they'd have a lot of people thankful for their actions against Batallier. But it is no matter now, what's done is done." 

"During my days off, I would like to see about making some ink again. Perhaps you could send some to Anthony as well."  
The woman said with a hum, changing the topic yet again. She was quite ready to forget.

Following behind his mother into the kitchen, hands resting behind his back, Alastor's interest seemed to suddenly pique. It was an activity that they had participated in the past and it was quite an enjoyable hobby.   
"Yes, that sounds like quite a nice idea. I'm sure Anthony would appreciate it."

Amélie looked down at her clothes and realized she hadn't changed yet.   
"If you plan on helping, you can start gathering the things needed for whatever you'd like to have to eat. I'll be down again shortly."  
She said as she patted her son on the shoulder before making her way up to her bedroom.

Nodding, Alastor moved into the kitchen properly as his mother left to head upstairs, beginning to prepare for a meal.  
  
  


As always, dinner was pleasant with a little more discussion about Anthony and a few other things regarding the hospital. It had been a wonderful meal, both Alastor and his mother simply sitting down together at the same time and eating together, honestly, a rare occurrence.

Later, when all was cleaned up and put away, Amélie sat in the lounge with a cross-stitching project she had been meaning to work on for quite a long time but never had the time for.

After everything had been put away and cleaned up, Alastor too sat in the lounge, however, he was at the piano, quietly playing some tunes in the background as his mother indulged in a hobby she once took part in regularly.   
It was getting quite late now, and Alastor _did_ have plans for that evening, so he supposed that after his mother retired for the night, he would be off.

The woman gave a soft hum and a sigh, appreciating that Alastor decided to stay up with her and play some music for her while she had the downtime.  
Amélie looked up at the time after a while and started to pack up her work.  
"Well, I suppose I will be off to bed now. I have a big day of doing nothing tomorrow."  
She smiled with a small chuckle to herself. It was strange to her to have so much time off, but she was going to make the most of it.

As soon as he noticed his mother beginning to pack up for the night, Alastor let the song he was playing come to an end before he stood, closing the lid of the piano.   
"Sleep well, Mama. I plan to take a walk, so don't worry if you hear the door opening later on."   
He thought he'd warn her, knowing that in the past she thought he had been an intruder coming home so late at night after not telling her he was out.

"Best not be out too late. You start work tomorrow."  
She said as she approached her son, having him lean down so she could place a kiss to his forehead before making her way to the stairs.   
"Be careful while you're out too."  
She warned as she started making her way up, letting her long brown hair down.

Smiling softly at the kiss to his forehead, Alastor simply nodded, following behind Amélie up the stairs. He had a few items to retrieve from his room before heading out.   
"Don't worry Mama, I'm always careful."   
He smiled before going into his room.

"Oh, if you happen to find some flowers I can make ink with, bring some home for me, will you?"  
Amélie asked before closing her bedroom door.  
"It would save me quite some time tomorrow."  
She added.

"If I happen to come across any, I shall pick them for you."   
Alastor called, trailing off towards the end as he closed his bedroom door behind himself, pausing for a moment to glance out the window before striding over to his bookcase filled to the brim with books.   
His eyes narrowed as he trailed a finger across the spines of the top shelf of the books before pulling out a smaller one and flicking through the pages briefly.   
"Good..."   
He muttered to himself before tucking the book carefully away in his inner jacket pocket. It wasn't cold out at all, so he wouldn't need anything more than a jacket.

Stepping out onto the front porch of his home, slipping his shoes on, Alastor was soon on his way, walking through the quiet streets of the neighborhood, deciding to make the trek to his destination on foot this time.   
Where was he headed? To the tree. The tree where he and Anthony had shared many moments together and had carved their initials in. However, even before that, Alastor visited the area frequently if he was not on the Bayou at his shed.

Summoning demons, Alastor would've said, was quite a stretch from what he was actually doing on the nights he came down to the river by the old tall tree. Demons didn't have a lot to do with it all, despite how much it may have seemed that way. It was more so spirits, Alastor believed. Ones that as a practitioner of Voodoo, he very much believed in. Some were good, most spirits he summoned believed to be his ancestors, however, there were times he felt that a rather unknown presence had started to show itself. It wasn't entirely bad, but it was by no means good either.   
This presence, when he had first felt it, it intrigued and puzzled him. It spiked a certain curiosity that Alastor was so famous for wanting to seek out and try to gain some understanding of.

The half an hour walk was pleasant, Alastor passing a few patches of flowers that he made a mental note of picking them on his journey home for his mother. When he arrived at the river clearing, his and Anthony's tree hanging above him like a shadow blocking the sun, Alastor pulled out the book in his pocket and carefully laid it down upon the ground, the man kneeling in front of it as his jacket was slipped off his shoulders and tossed to the side. He had made sure that no one was around already, and all seemed well to begin.

As Alastor had learned from his beginnings with practicing Voodoo, there were always four phases to any ritual, each part vital and crucial.

Opening his book to the center page, Alastor took a breath and closed his eyes before his mouth opened and he began to sing the four phases in a memory's tune. They were identifiable as preparation, invocation, possession, and the most important, farewell. 

Alastor quietly sang the first phase, his voice low and mainly drowned out by the ambiance of his atmosphere. This was the preparation for the main summoning and possession of the ritual. During this, nothing notable happened, his calm demeanor not wavering as he moved into the second phase.

The invocation was usually quite difficult. And the act of summoning a _specific_ spirit or presence was even more challenging. But alas, Alastor was determined. As he chanted and sang, his left palm now hovering above the open page of the book, the ink that was etched into the pages began to slowly bleed. This was certainly a new development, but he had to continue.

Possession is as it sounds. When summoning _ancestors_ , many voodoo practitioners and believers use as communication to gain both knowledge, answers, and perhaps even luck with the help of said ancestors, but Alastor, that evening as he watched the words on the page bleed, he understood that what he was asking to momentarily possess him was _not_ that of an ancestor.

The ink of the words was now spilling off the book and into the ground below, however, it was not the color of ink as it flowed.  
Symbols Alastor didn't know of and words he could only look at and not understand began to show up on that center pages of the book, glowing the same crimson color that the ink on the ground now was. With labored breathing and an eerie smile that was frozen impossibly wide, much like the rubber of an elastic band, as soon as mouth stopped chanting, everything snapped back into place.

Just like that, everything stopped. The book slammed closed on its own. The ink that had been seeping into the grass below had vanished and Alastor found himself crouched over said book, left hand planted firmly on the cover as he regained his breath.

Nothing more was said on Alastor's part as he stood and walked away through the trees, returning to a warm and welcoming home that night. 

But in the clearing where the rituals of Voodoo had taken place, a spirit began to stir. With no command to leave, it presumed it was to stay. It resembled that of a shadow, leeching off of every surface, hiding in the darkness, it's horrific smile with fangs like daggers grinding away as it chittered a silent laugh before the being faded. Not leaving, simply fading.


	28. Chapter 28

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Sunday, February 13th, 1921  
New York City  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

As Sunday came around, Molly had just finished giving Anthony a haircut and helped him shave, now they were in his bedroom as she picked out what he was going to wear for his Omertà. This was going to be probably the most important day of his life and he needed to look his absolute best. Needless to say, he was nervous.  
Giovanni was going to drive him a few blocks away from where the ceremony was to take place at exactly midnight.   
The Don had already sat down with Anthony and gave him a rundown of what to expect and the rules he was going to agree to upon taking the oath.

The rules when you take the oath varied. While some were generally for everyone, there were some that were just for set specifically for one person. He only had one specific rule that was just for him and he was already well aware of it. He wasn't to have children. The rest of the rules were basic and general.   
Be loyal to members of the organization.   
Do not interfere with each other's interest.   
Do not be an informer.   
Be rational.   
Be a member of the team.   
Don't engage in battle if you can't win.   
Be a man of honor.   
Respect women and your elders.   
Keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut.   
Don't sell out.   
Be the 'stand-up guy' that shows courage and 'heart'.   
Do not whine or complain in the face of adversity, including punishment, because 'If you can't pay, don't play'.   
Have class.   
Be independent.   
Know your way around the world.  
All things he was either already taught or already informed of, already practicing a large majority of it as it was.

Another thing about the Life, not just anyone would be able to join. You had to be invited, which made Anthony all the more lucky to be able to take part in this.

When he and Maria were born, they were born with dark hair like his father; the ideal color for an Italian mafia member. Their eyes were different though, Molly having honey-colored eyes and Anthony having green. Not quite ideal but it wouldn't be the end of the world, brown eyes seeming to often be the dominant gene anyways.  
As time progressed, however, their hair began to lighten to the dirty blonde it was today. It was something no one expected nor had anyone seen it before. That was the deal-breaker and the _one thing_ that made it extremely hard for Anthony to be taken seriously. He had to work harder and longer than everyone else.

At age eleven, he began his training to prove himself in hopes the invitation would be extended. He did extensive training in firearms and target practice. He had to learn how to build different kinds of guns from the disassembled parts he was provided in the span of a minute, load it and finally shoot the center of a target.

At age fourteen, he set out with his brother to make a hit on someone who owed a great sum of money. He had been out before but that night was different. That was the night he took his first life.   
During these trips, Giovanni would show Anthony exactly what he was to do and look for in certain situations, when to take the shot, so on and so forth.   
For whatever reason, his brother decided to hand the gun over to his younger brother and have him take the shot.   
Of course, he didn't get credit for that kill. Giovanni wasn't even supposed to let him _touch_ the gun. 

Snapping back to the current situation and not focusing on the events to come, Anthony blinked a few times as his sister asked him a question.  
"What? Sorry... I think I'm startin' t' get a little nervous..."  
He sighed.

"I asked if y' think I should wear my new dress or not."   
Molly repeated from where she stood inside Anthony's closet, sorting through the suits and matching pants he had hanging up.  
"And I know you're nervous, I'd be worried if ya weren't."  
Finally exiting the closet and closing the doors behind her, Molly walked around to Anthony's bed and carefully laid out the dark suit she'd chosen for him.

"Just know it will soon be all over and done with, and y' won't have to ever do it again. One short moment."   
She smiled, swaying over towards the chest of drawers and looking through before pulling out a matching tie.   
"Put these on and you'll be lookin' like the bee's knees alright."

Anthony laughed a bit and shook his head.  
"Y' make it sound like I'm walkin' right t' my death."  
He stated, looking down at the clothes she laid out.  
"What'd ya need t' get dressed up for though? You and Gio are stayin' in the car a few blocks away."  
He added, picking up the shirt. Of course, he didn't mind picking something out for her if that's what she wanted. The other two men of the house were probably down in their father's little hangout playing pool or something while they waited.

"Yeah, well I gotta look good at least. Even if I ain't leavin' the backseat."   
Molly laughed a little.

"I guess. Now scram so I can change."  
He chuckled.

Giving her brother's hair a once over with narrowed eyes before she gave a nod, raising her hands.  
"Yeah yeah, I'm goin', I'm goin'."   
She huffed with a grin as she swiftly swung the door open to her brother's room and took her leave to her own room to get ready.

"I'll be there in a few minutes."  
He called as he started to unbutton his shirt once the door was closed, Anthony looked at his wardrobe where he was keeping the box with Alastor's letter in it. Walking over, he opened the door and opened the box, carefully taking the pressed flowers out of the bottom and then the letter itself.

Sighing a bit as he looked at the letter in his hands, gently running his fingers over the ink on the single page for a moment before bringing it up to his chest, almost hugging it. Just knowing that this page was once in the hands of the man brought Anthony so much joy and comfort.

After a moment of calming himself, he put the letter away and got himself dressed, deciding to put the phlox into his breast pocket so he could carry a smidge of that comfort with him to his Omertà.  
When he felt he was presentable, Anthony made his way to his sister's bedroom to help her pick out what she was going to wear.

In the minutes that her brother was getting changed, Molly had taken to her closet and had pulled out five of her favorite dresses before laying them out on her bed. She'd decided that if everyone else was going to get dressed up, then she would too.

Wanting to wait for Anthony to help her with the decision of what dress to put on, in the meantime she sat at her dresser and brushed her long dirty blonde colored hair out, letting out a small sigh as she looked at herself in the mirror.

Giving two quick knocks on the door before entering, Anthony looked around the room for a moment. Technically speaking he wasn't allowed in here, but because everyone else was busy with other things, he didn't really see the harm.

"Alright."  
He said quietly as he approached the clothes laid out already with a raised brow. After looking them over, he moved over to the closet and started looking through its contents.  
"I shoulda brought a new dress home for ya. I saw a few real nice ones but didn't end up goin' in."  
He said.

Leaving her hair down for the moment, Molly stood from the seat at her dresser and walked over to her bed, frowning a little at the fact that Anthony was looking in her closet when she'd already picked out her favorite dresses.   
"No, it's alright. I probably got too many dresses anyways. Closet can't hold anymore, hah."

"Yeah, but it's always nice t' get somethin' new, ain't it? Y' don't even wear some of these, not t' mention they're kinda..."  
He paused as he pulled a rather old dress off of the rail and held it out to prove his point.  
"...outdated."  
Then he put it back before continuing to look through what was available. 

Concluding that there really wasn't much to choose from, Anthony moved back to the bed and looked down at the options, tapping his cheek in thought.

"Hey, I know that one ain't high fashion anymore, but it's still fine."   
Once Anthony had moved away from the closet, Molly walked over and opened it again, her eyes scanning through the dresses, immediately pinpointing what ones her brother deemed 'outdated'.   
"If y' think my dresses are _that_ bad, then I'll just have to ask Papa if I can go shoppin' some time."

"I think this dark blue one might be best. Kinda works with winter, y' know? Plus the fabric is a little heavier so you'll be warmer."  
He said with a bit of a nod, disregarding the previous topic for now. They would figure it out sometime later.

As her brother finally chose a dress for her, the woman made her way back towards the bed, looking over the navy dress with a nod.   
"Yeah, I'll go with that one. One of my favorites anyways. Help me with my hair in a minute, will you?"   
She spoke as she gathered the dress up in her arms and moved across the large room to the folding dressing screen that stood in the corner where she began to change behind.   
"I love this dress an' all, I just hate wearing an overcoat over it, y' know?"   
She mumbled to Anthony from behind the screen.

Giving a chuckle and a nod, Anthony started looking at the things Molly had on her vanity.   
"Yeah, well, gotta pay a price for beauty, unfortunately."  
He replied with a sigh, starting to gather some hairpins so he would be able to help her properly.  
"If I get a chance t' go back t' New Orleans I'll make sure t' bring somethin' back for ya. Better yet, I'll see if you can come. Maybe meet Smiles."  
He said as he subconsciously put a hand over his breast pocket that had the flowers inside.

"Oh, would ya? If I could come with ya, that would be everythin'!"   
Molly gushed from behind the screen, pulling the dress on over her head and fastening the buttons.   
"But Papa would never let me, y' know that already. Everyone was surprised when he let y' go to New Orleans on your own."   
Sighing, she soon stepped out from behind the screen, flicking her hair out of her face as she went to sit down at her vanity dresser.   
"That Alastor sounds like a real great guy. I'd really love ta meet him one day."

With a bit of a nod, Anthony took a breath. He knew the odds weren't in their favor but it was still a thought that he could still hope would become a reality.  
"He is. I think you'd like him a lot."  
He said with a smile, bringing all of his sister's hair around to the back.  
If their father knew about Anthony doing his sister's hair, he'd have a fit.   
Looking at his watch, he made sure that they were running on good time before getting started.   
He grabbed the brush and started running it through Molly's hair carefully, silently wishing he could have hair like hers; long and free.

Molly always enjoyed it when Anthony did her hair. He often did it better than her when he got both the time and opportunity to do so and it never failed to impress her.   
"You're always so good at this. And I dunno why cause you don't have long hair yourself!"   
The woman exclaimed with a chuckle, keeping her head as still as she could as she opened the drawer to her vanity and pulled out a pair of earrings that had belonged to her mother. Much of the jewelry she had was her mother's.

Anthony gave a small shrug and put a few of the pins he had gathered in between his teeth until he needed them.  
"Wish I could tell ya."  
He replied, watching her grab the accessories.  
"Ah ah ah, no no no. Not those ones."  
He tutted as he grabbed the earrings from her, put them back and looked through her stash.

"Ey, what-"   
She butted in, pausing as Anthony rummaged around the small drawer and then pulled out another pair that admittedly did go a lot better with her dress as she began to put them on.

"Those ones go better."  
He stated as he sectioned Molly's hair at the back horizontally and pinned the top section up to the top of her head for now and then parted the back vertically down the middle of the lower section, beginning to braid each half.

"Alright, fine. You win. You're better at dressin' me than I am."

After her earrings were in, Molly decided to sit back and relax in the chair as Anthony began to braid her hair, the woman still keeping an eye on the time for Anthony.

Anthony almost smirked with a sense of pride at the compliment, staying silent as he continued. Now taking the two braids, he started to bring them up and pinned them to the back of his sister's head.  
Because their father didn't approve of the idea of women cutting their hair short as a new revolutionary trend, it was common to create the illusion of a bob cut this way so you would still have your long hair but have it appear shorter.

With a small hum, Anthony finished with the braids and took down the top section of hair, carefully brushing it out once more before sectioning it one bit at a time and curling the strands in on themselves up to hide the pinned braids, the illusion becoming more prominent.  
Anthony remembered looking through magazines with these new hairstyles in them not long ago and would even play around with some of them by doing his sister's hair.

Once the time-consuming curling and pinning was finished, he started looking through a few drawers in search of a little hair accessory of some kind.   
Deeming nothing worthy, he shrugged and looked at his sister in the mirror and reached around, fixing the front a little with a nod.  
"All done."  
He smiled, taking the few leftover pins from between his teeth and put them in the little dish he got them from.

Molly very much appreciated the hairstyle that her brother had done for her. For a while now, the woman had expressed to Anthony her desire to cut her hair to a shorter and more stylish length, however, whenever the topic ever came up around her father, it was immediately dismissed. Molly knew she would never hear the end of it until her hair grew out again, so it was simply easier to keep it long and pin it back to create the illusion of something shorter.

"Oh Tony, it's lookin' just wonderful."   
Molly smiled warmly, looking up at her brother through the mirror as she pushed back a small stray piece of hair from her line of sight.   
"And right on time too. We gotta get goin'."

Anthony raised a brow and looked at his watch, brows raising now.  
"You're right."  
He nodded, patting her shoulders before moving out to the hallway and down the stairs where Giovanni was already waiting.

As her brother left the room, Molly quickly grabbed a pair of pointed heels and slipped them on before following Anthony down the staircase, not surprised to see Giovanni waiting by the door.   
"I'll get our coats!"   
Molly chimed in once she was down the stairs, rushing to the coatroom, and stepping in. Quickly gathering both her own and Anthony's overcoats, knowing that her older brother already had his on, she left the room and passed the coat over to Anthony, slipping her own one on and doing up the buttons.

"If you're takin' this seriously y' better hurry up."  
The eldest brother stated, already standing at the front door.

"I know, I got caught up with somethin'."  
Anthony replied, putting his coat on and making sure he was still presentable.  
After spending so much time in a warmer climate, Anthony had forgotten that the cold was something that was still a thing here. He looked to his sister and then his brother, who then opened the front door and stepped out. The car was all ready for them, parked just in front.

Anthony opened the back door for Molly and shut it once she was inside and got himself in the front passenger side, Giovanni wiping a bit of snow from the front windshield before getting in as well and started the machine.   
"If y' got your gun on ya, leave it in here."

"I ain't got my gun, Gio. I ain't stupid."  
Anthony replied with a roll of his eyes, the car starting to drive down the long driveway.

"Coulda fooled me."  
The eldest replied in a smug matter-of-fact sort of tone.

Rolling her eyes at the usual conversation tone that both of her brothers had with each other, as infuriating as it was at times, Molly simply ignored it, watching out the window of the automobile.

"Is Papa not coming?"   
Molly soon asked no one in particular from the backseat once they were all in and the vehicle had begun to drive away from their home.   
"I woulda thought he'd be here for this."

"He's got a few things t' sort out for the Don in terms of the target Angel took out."  
Giovanni stated, keeping his eyes on the road.   
Technically speaking, he wasn't supposed to tell Molly anything, but because she was the woman of the house and would often have to patch members of the Family up if there came a time where violence between families broke out, so really she already had a good idea of everything that was happening. Not to mention that she didn't leave the house very often... to anyone's knowledge. Anthony knew she would sneak out sometimes, but his lips were always sealed on that front.

"Ah... right."   
Molly replied with a nod before going back to watching out the window, interested to see where they were going. 

The rest of the drive consisted mainly of Giovanni giving Anthony pointers of what to do and what not to do, Anthony simply replying with 'yes' and 'I know' with each bit of advice, reminding himself that this was just a one-time thing and once it was done, it wouldn't have to happen again and that he had a piece of comfort with him in his pocket, which seemed to be helping quite a bit.

When they eventually _did_ arrive, or at least when the car came to a stop, Molly knew to stay in the backseat and to not get out. This wasn't a place for her and she understood the sad reality of that.   
When she was younger, she would have given anything to properly be apart of all of this and to be given such big responsibilities that her brothers had, but as a woman, she knew that was never going to happen. It had taken her a while to understand that, and while she still didn't like to accept it all, Molly had learned to do as a woman should. Even if there were occasions when she broke those rules.

"Don't show weakness or fear. Don't flinch. Not a peep outta ya unless you're spoken to. Head up, back straight, keep your eyes on the Boss."  
Giovanni instructed as Anthony started to reach for the handle.

"I know, I know."  
The blonde muttered as he opened the car door and stepped out, giving his sister a quick wave before shutting the door again. Looking up and down the snowy pavement of Wall Street, Anthony straightened his tie and adjusted the cuffs of his sleeves as he started walking. It was cold and dark, about ten minutes to midnight.  
The warning his brother had just given him put him on edge. He wasn't told what this ritual consisted of so he could only prepare for the worst. Maybe there was a tattoo involved or maybe he was about to get the crap kicked out of him. He really had no idea.

As he neared the spot he was told to go to, Anthony noticed two finely-dressed men going down the same alleyway he was to go down; Anthony concluding the men were to be there for the ceremony as well. Who they were though, he wasn't entirely sure.

Taking a deep breath and looking down at his watch, he slowed his pace a little. He wasn't to show up too early nor a second late. When he came to the door, however, he paused.   
Once this happened, there was no turning back. There was no way out. It was already too late. They were already expecting him and if he was to waste the Don's time by ditching the ceremony, that would be it for him.

Slowly putting a hand on the ice-cold handle of the heavy door, Anthony pulled the door open and stepped inside, walking down a narrow hallway to the only open door on the right. It was a small space and was very dark with six men seated in a horseshoe configuration, the Boss at the head of it with the Underboss, Consigliere, and the three Caporegimes, all high powered and high ranked people within the business.

Once Anthony's eyes adjusted to the light, he stepped forward and moved to stand in the middle of the group of men under the single light above them.  
The Boss stood with a raised chin, took a knife from his pocket, and held out his other hand.

Anthony kept his eyes on the taller man just as he was told to do, keeping his back straight and chin up, holding out his right hand with his palm facing up.

The Boss took the knife and cut Anthony's index finger, blood running down and dripped onto the floor. It wasn't the most painful thing in the world but it did take some effort not to flinch.

"Cup your hands."  
The Don instructed as the Underboss handed the man a picture of a Saint and a match.

Anthony immediately complying and cupping his hands together, his teeth clenching a bit as the blood from his finger continued to drip onto the floor.

Lighting the match, the Boss set it under the picture and set it aflame before dropping it into Anthony's hands.  
It burned a little, but by this point, he was used to being burned.

"Tonight, Antonio Angelo Ragnatela, you are born again into a new life until you violate what you know of this life, betray your brothers and break the oath, and you will burn in Hell like this Saint is burning in your hands. Do you accept?"  
The Boss spoke in a tone so chillingly serious, it was colder than the air outside, the picture nearly finished burning.

Anthony gave a firm nod, his chest heavy and tight.  
"Yes, I do."  
He replied firmly just as the picture reached the end of its burn, leaving only a thin sheet of ash in his palms.

"Welcome to the Family, Anthony. Make us proud."  
The man stated with a nod of his own, extending his hand to shake Anthony's after he wiped his hands free of blood and ash with a provided handkerchief; the five other men stood to properly welcome the new official member, each shaking his hand after the Boss, going down each rank.

Once all was said and done, one by one they all left and out of the alleyway, dispersing out into the cold night as if nothing had happened.

Anthony made his way back to the car where Giovanni and Molly were still sitting.  
Opening the car door, he got in quietly and gave his brother a nod, saying it was done and he was ready to return home.

The wait for Anthony's return had Molly almost nervous too. She had no idea what was going to happen to her brother in there and could only hope that it was nothing too extreme.  
Anthony wasn't gone long at all and when he finally did return, the woman immediately sat up from where she lay slumped against the car window, giving him a look that silently asked if he was okay.

Nothing else was said between any of them as Giovanni drove them all back home again.

Anthony kept his head down, eyes fixated on his shoes. Even though the ceremony was short, it was still intense and pretty draining.  
Giovanni seemed to understand that and didn't ask any questions, which Anthony appreciated the silence from both of his siblings.

Everything was silent between the three of them even after they entered their lavish home again, Giovanni going to supposedly report back to their father while Anthony made his way back towards the kitchen for something light to eat. He was tired but not ready to sleep even though it was nearly twelve-thirty or just after.

After she had put everyone's coats away and removed her own, Molly made her way through the home and into the kitchen, the direction she'd seen Anthony heading just moments earlier.   
As expected, he was there, sat up on top of the kitchen counter with a slice of bread and a bit of butter.  
"Y' hungry?"   
Molly announced as she walked into the room, her heels tapping against the flooring before she came to a stop across from her brother.

"I was thinkin'... since we both got all dolled up for what seems like nothin' now, maybe we could... make all the effort worthwhile by goin' out?"   
She suggested, knowing that Anthony was the only person she'd be able to ask within the home.

Glancing down at himself, he really couldn't see the harm in any of it. 

Finishing his mouthful, he gave a nod.  
"Yeah, I don't see why not. Should probably go see if pops wants t' see me for anythin' first and make sure he'll be busy for a while so we can make a clean getaway."  
He stated.

Clapping her hands together, Molly's elated smile grew even more.   
"Yeah, go see 'im, I'll go get my hat, it's awful cold out there."   
She smiled, swiftly leaving Anthony in the kitchen and beginning to make her way up the stairs with a spring in her step.

Night walks were always her favorite, even more so when Anthony was around to keep her company. They'd done it many a time before together and usually, they walked simply wherever the path took them, not going anywhere in particular.

Anthony nodded and quickly finished off his little late-night snack before making his way to his father's office, Giovanni just leaving.

"He's goin' t' bed soon so whatever y' gotta say, make it quick."  
The eldest brother stated quietly before making his way down the hall and towards the stairs.

Anthony nodded, standing there for a minute before deciding against speaking with his father if he was planning on going to bed shortly anyways. He and Molly would just wait in the parlor and listen for him to go up to bed before leaving.

Molly hadn't even been watching where she was going as she exited her room and began to make her way down the stairs. She was just putting her hat on, trying not to ruin her beautifully made hair when she almost bumped into Giovanni, the woman taking a step back and looking to the side.

"Where d' ya think you're off to?"  
He pried with a raised brow, stopping in his tracks as he folded his arms over his chest.

"Nowhere. Now scram, wouldja." 

She huffed, attempting to squeeze past the tall man on the stairway.

If anything could have happened, then this was what Molly would have least wanted to happen. Giovanni was always persistent and when it came to Molly sneaking out at night, he never backed down from an answer.

Placing his hands on the railings on either side of the stairs, he made sure to block her path.  
"Inadequate answer, Maria. Y' know you're not allowed out this time of night."  
He reminded her.  
"I'll ask ya again. Where are ya goin'?"

Molly just rolled her eyes upon seeing her path being blocked, looking up into her brother's eyes.   
"Is it cause I'm wearin' my hat? Y' think I'm goin' out cause I'm wearin' my _hat_? I'll take it off then. There. Y' happy?"   
She sighed, pulling the hat off of her head, silently hoping that she hadn't messed up her hair.   
"Now move, I'm just gettin' a drink before I go to bed."

"Y' don't wear hats inside unless you're g-"

"Oi, quit harassing your sister."  
A gruff voice called as the father started making his way up the left set of stairs to bypass the commotion on the right.

Molly was about to say something back to her brother, however, the gruff voice that suddenly filled the stairway immediately made her lips seal shut as she looked towards their father. 

"She knows better than t' be goin' out, Gio. Get 'cher butts t' bed. We got things t' do t'morrow."  
He sighed.

Giovanni's eyes narrowed at the woman, pausing before removing himself from her path. He knew damn well that she had plans to go out but wasn't about to make a ruckus about it and get their father in an irritated mood.

"Night Gio."   
Molly murmured as she moved past him and continued on down the stairs, rounding the corner once she was in the hallway and then made her way into the parlor where she presumed Anthony was.

Anthony heard the discussion from where he stood in the corridor to the right, standing just outside of the large room. He rolled his eyes a bit at Giovanni's prying crap and moved to look towards his sister when she was finally able to join him.  
"I _really_ didn't miss him."  
He stated in a lowered tone, going into the coatroom that resided just across from the parlor, grabbing their coats again and handing Molly's to her before putting his coat on.

Molly laughed quietly at that, relieved that Anthony was close by, putting her hat back on before buttoning up her overcoat.   
"He was significantly _less_ of a wise head while ya weren't here."   
She then scoffed, making sure she'd be warm enough before going out into the cold night again.

Walking quietly against the polished marbled flooring, hoping her heeled shoes wouldn't be too loud, Molly crept to the front door, opening it quietly as she looked back over her shoulder at Anthony, who was quietly following, looking back at the divided grand staircases and up past that to where the hallways split off. The upstairs hallways seemed dark so they must have been in the clear.

As they stepped out, Anthony was sure to be as quiet as possible in closing the door.  
"Probably should come in through the back when we're done."  
He said softly as he locked the door before looking out into the dark ahead of them.

Pulling the collar of her coat up a little, the temperature difference outside being a lot different now, Molly nodded.   
"Yeah probably. I can get in through a window if I really needed to."   
As she spoke, she could see her breath like smoke in front of her face, showing just how cold it was around them.

"Gimme a gasper wouldja? I'm dyin' here."   
Molly sighed, holding her palm out as the two of them began to walk down the long driveway towards the never sleeping streets of the city not too far away.

Anthony patted his pockets briefly until he found his cigarette box, opening it and offering one to her with a bit of sigh, then took one for himself. He then brought a match out of the box and struck it against the side and used it to help light Molly's first and then his own.

"Anythin' in particular on your mind?"  
He asked as they continued their little walk, unsure of where they were really headed.

"Y' know there's _always_ somethin' on my mind, Tony."   
Molly sighed too, taking a drag of the lit cigarette, grateful for the warmth it provided.  
"I, ah, snuck out while you were away once. Papa and Gio were out on a job an' I had a whole day where I was _supposed_ t' stay inside."   
She started with a small smile, the two of them rounding a corner.   
"I actually went to see a picture show. By _myself_. Can ya believe?"

Anthony raised a brow, listening to everything his sister was saying.  
"Oh yeah? I was supposed t' go see one too but Smiles and I got a little ah... sidetracked..."  
He said.  
"How was it though? Was it worth the risk at least?"  
He asked, looking at his sister for a moment as he took a drag of his own cigarette.

Molly raised a slight brow, about to ask something before Anthony asked her about the show.   
"Oh it was just swell, y' know? Would do it again in a heartbeat. I went on our birthday, so it was nice t' not be stuck inside."   
There was a moment's silence before Molly spoke again, this time looking over to the other.   
"What about you, huh? You do anythin' nice for our birthday? That Smiles guy know it was a special day for ya?"

Anthony fell silent at the question. The memories of the entire twenty-four hours of February ninth filling his mind from start to finish.   
He felt his cheeks warming and becoming a bit rosy, but that could be chalked up to be from the cold air, thankfully.  
"Ah... yeah, we did a couple of things. Took Lawrence out just before and then we had a couple of drinks after t' celebrate... talked... went for breakfast the next mornin' and... a few other things I guess I forgot about."  
He replied, keeping everything as vague as possible.

"Oh yeah?"   
She pressed on, raising an eyebrow once again.   
"So, y' drank together, got blotto, talked, and then managed t' _not_ be so zozzled the next mornin' that 'cha went out for breakfast with the damn guy? Tony, I _know_ how ya handle y' liquor."   
Molly batted back with a laugh, taking another drag as the two of them quickly dashed across a road.   
"You never tell people ya birthday, Tony. What's goin' on, huh?"

"The sneaky bastard got a look at my identification at some point and I kinda celebrated his birthday with him so he celebrated ours with me in return."  
He sighed with a shrug.  
"There's still a few things about him I gotta tell ya about too."

Shaking her head with a grin of almost disbelief, Molly rolled her head to face Anthony once more, the woman flicking her cigarette away as she spoke up.   
"Ya _do_ know what 'cha do for a livin', yeah? And you're tellin' me this guy, this butcher, managed to get your identification offa ya without y' knowin'? Is this guy some big shot or what. Tell me."

"If ya let me explain it'll make more sense."  
Anthony stated with a bit of a huff.  
"He ain't just some butcher, Molls. He's actually been doin' the same stuff I do for about as long as I have too... but for _fun_."  
He explained, taking a deep breath.  
"He's been doin' it since he was fifteen and he's one hell of an actor too."  
He added, glancing around them for a moment.

Molly had to think about that one for a moment, her mind catching up with what Anthony was telling her.   
"He's makin' hits too?"   
She soon concluded, raising an eyebrow once again.   
"And an actor? What kinda actin' we talkin' about, huh?"

"No no, ain't like that. He's a total psychopath but he either hides it real well or it just kinda jumps out at ya when he's aboutta make a hit or somethin'. Almost adrenaline activated? It's... weird 'cause when ya first meet him he's actually a real proper guy, y' know? Manners, perfect posture, nice smile, everythin'."  
He rambled, bringing a hand up to run his fingers through his hair.  
"He was actually after the scum bag too, hurtin' his Ma a lot and there wasn't much she could do 'bout it 'cause she pretty much worked for the guy... Smiles was there when I made the hit... doubled over in hysterics as the guy begged for his life. It was weird but I didn't seem t' mind. Everyone got what they wanted, y' know?"  
Anthony then looked to his sister, seeing the look on her face that clearly said she was listening and perhaps deeply analyzing every word he spoke.

"Ah... I dunno. He's a great guy that's got a lotta secrets, I guess."  
He concluded, looking ahead of him now, down the dimly lit street from the overhead lamps.

Molly was silent for a few moments after her brother had finished speaking, going over everything that he'd just said about this Alastor man.   
"Isn't it goin' a bit far to call someone a _psychopath_ after they laugh strangely a couple times, and have the desire t' shoot a man that ain't being nice to his Ma?"   
While Molly thought that way, she couldn't help but think there might have been someone else there. Her whole family had killed people, she'd heard about many murders that happened around New York frequently, but she'd never heard about someone supposedly getting the hysterics over a man begging for his life.

"Well, whatever it is, it's like y' said. The guys got secrets- everyone has."   
She continued on, sounding slightly more worried than before as she spoke.   
"But, people that, if he is what 'cha say he is, then y' gotta be careful. He could be unstable Tony, an' I don't want ya gettin' hurt. And that _doesn't_ mean just physically either."

Anthony finished off his cigarette with a deep sigh, flicking the butt into the snow and nodded.  
"No, I know. But I mean... I watched _him_ kill too. I know there are guys within the family that kill like that too but I mean..."  
He sighed and shook his head.  
"I dunno what I mean; but it'll all be fine. I put him on the ground before and I sure as Hell will do it again if I gotta. Ain't nothin' he can do that I ain't ready for."  
Anthony's voice became soft and quiet at that last part. He really was ready for anything that Alastor might do whether it be hunting him down and try to kill him for whatever reason, or simply say that he's moved on and wanted to cut ties.   
Anthony wouldn't be surprised at whatever happened.   
He did jump at the chance and go as far as to say he loved him _twice_ but got nothing of the sort returned both times.  
Anthony would definitely admit that was a really _really_ stupid move on his part but he was either drunk or scared that he wouldn't get the chance again.

"Kill like _what_?"   
Molly asked, her eyes watching Anthony's burnt out cigarette butt as it was flicked to the ground.   
"I've heard some pretty nasty stories from Papa about guys in the family killin' in brutal ways, y' know? Guess he told me those things t' warn me or somethin'. Is that the kinda killin' we're talkin' about here? Not just shootin' someone in the head a couple of times?"

"I'm talkin' kneelin' right down next t' the guy, holdin' him, pullin' out a knife and stabbin' him in the neck two or three times with a crazed smile on your face kinda killin'. Blood everywhere. Felt like that was possibly even tame for Al."  
He said as he looked up at the sky. It was clouded over, but it reminded him of the stars he saw the night before he left New Orleans. The beautiful freckle-like specks that covered the black abyss of the night.

Molly cringed a little at the description, just imagining the brutal and unnecessary scene in her mind.   
"Musta been a pretty bad guy to get killed like that..."   
She muttered to herself, shaking her head soon after with a sigh, looking back over at Anthony once again.

With another shake of his head, Anthony looked to his sister for a moment.  
"Everythin' is gunna be just fine."  
He stated, reassuring not only Molly, but himself as well.

Even as Anthony reassured her, there was something deep down that wasn't as reassuring as she would have liked. There was something in her brother's tone that was almost sad too.   
"If y' say so... an' ya sure there ain't _anythin'_ else y' wanna tell me?"

With another shake of his head, Anthony gave a hint of a smile.  
"No, nothin' else really comes t' mind right now."  
He replied as he looked down at his right hand, seeing the small cut still on his index finger from earlier.

"Well, I'm glad ya went there on your own. I can tell ya really grew from it, and not just physically. Y' seem more mature now. Guess I'm the one who's gotta grow up a bit then, huh? Got big boots t' fill."   
She chuckled, growing a little quieter as another thought came to mind.   
"At least y' got the chance t' join the Family properly. Prove y' self. Don't gotta grow up just t' be some big shot's Moll."

Anthony huffed and smirked, shaking his head again.  
"Hey, you're more mature than y' give yourself credit for. Doin' what y' do every day ain't easy. Lookin' after three men and a massive house too; I'd say y' deserve a damn crown for that."  
He said, nudging her lightly.

"Yeah, I better be given a damn crown for what I do. Papa n' Gio don't ever appreciate it. At least you do. I can only thank ya for that."   
She shrugged, looking up at a streetlamp they passed by, the light flickering softly. 

"You and I both know that when it's just the two of us, we can goof off and be dumb little twits t'gether and not get in trouble for it. Just when others are around, we smarten up a bit."  
He stated.

"I jus', ugh I dunno Tony, I don't wanna be _stuck_ like this for the rest of my life. I just wanna do what _I_ want for once."   
She huffed dramatically once again, leaning into her brother as she walked a little.

"Really though, you're doin' great and you're always gunna be doin' great no matter what ya do or what ya get stuck with... just wish things could be easier for us. Run away someplace and make a life of our own without rules and love who we wanna..."  
All wishful thinking and extremely impossible, Anthony knowing very well none of that was ever going to happen in a million years.

Laughing softly at her brother's suggestion of them running away someday, Molly smiled.  
"T' love who we wanna... yeah..."

Anthony carefully brought an arm around her shoulders and sighed, his eyes staying on the sky.  
"I mean, _if_ we ever found the right person for either us, of course. If not, we wouldn't have t' love anyone. Just be happy with what we got."  
He shrugged.  
"Either way, it's late and I'm gettin' tired. Dad's probably got some stuff for me t' do t'morrow."  
He finally said, seeing the moon peeking out from behind the clouds for just a moment.  
"Might start snowin' soon too..."

"I'm guessin' ya didn't talk to Papa earlier? No surprise, ever since y' left he's been even quieter. But it could just be the time of year... ya know."   
Molly nodded, the two of them deciding to turn around at the corner and start heading back the way they'd come.

Anthony nodded.  
"Yeah... he's always quiet when it gets closer..."  
He said softly.  
"I bet in the next couple days we'll find him in the music room just sittin' at that harp in there, runnin' his fingers over the strings like he always does around this time. Like clockwork."  
Anthony sighed, his head lowering a little.

"Like clockwork."   
Molly repeated quietly with a nod of her own, knowing how their father could be.   
"Let's just hope none of us get on his bad side any time soon."   
She then laughed a little, the two of them crossing the same street they had just minutes earlier.

Anthony nodded in agreement, staying silent now as they finished their venture back home and snuck in through the back door. They made sure to take their shoes off before walking through the halls to minimize the noise echoing through the vast place, put their coats away, and quietly made their way up to their respective bedrooms. Luckily Giovanni wasn't waiting anywhere for them and their father could be heard faintly snoring from his bedroom at the far end of the hallway.

"See ya in the mornin', Molls."  
Anthony whispered as he stepped into his bedroom.


	29. Chapter 29

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓   
Friday, February 25th, 1921   
New Orleans   
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Amélie had returned home from her shift early on the twenty-fifth of February, nothing at the hospital needed to be done so there was no real need for her to be there. That, and she had started to feel rather sick to the stomach the past few days as well, but nothing she couldn't push through.  
Upon making it home, she noticed that the mail had arrived so she made sure to grab it on her way inside.

Alastor had gone out early that morning for God only knows what and was due to arrive sometime that afternoon or early evening.  
Checking over each envelope with a hum, the woman paused as the third and final one was addressed to Alastor all the way from New York City.   
This was the letter they had been waiting to receive and Amélie couldn't have been happier and more excited, even though it wasn't for her.

Setting it on the table, for the time being, she went up to get herself changed and cleaned up before taking some time to relax before preparing dinner, now eager for her son's arrival home so he could open the letter.

Alastor had in fact gone out hunting that morning for a change. The shop was closed for the day, the owner celebrating a birthday. He'd taken to his boat early that morning, trusty shotgun in his possession as well as some food wrapped and tied in a cloth that he could snack on while out. 

Since small game was currently in season, Alastor had been fairly successful on his hunt. He'd managed to gather a few small animals such as rabbits, a couple of squirrels, and had even come across a duck. He knew very well that his mother didn't like it when he came dragging the game in through the house, but there was really no other way. He didn't want to leave it out on the porch and risk the warmth getting to the animals, thus ruining the meat.

Taking off his shoes, leaving his shotgun outside, Alastor quickly carried the game in through the house. They were wrapped in cloth, however that didn't entirely stop any blood from dripping onto the floorboards of the house.   
"Mama, I'm back!"

The moment the door opened, Amélie was on her feet and rushing towards the door.  
"Alastor!"  
She cheered as she went to greet him, but tutted as he made his way through the house, blood trailing behind him.  
"What have I told you about this?"  
She scolded as she followed, avoiding stepping in the little droplets.

Alastor paused for a moment, looking back behind him.  
"Ah, I apologize."

"Oh, never mind that now. Anthony's first letter arrived!"  
The woman said with a wide smile, picking the letter up from the table as she passed, holding it close to her.

He smiled, blinking a couple of times at the letter his mother brought to light, mentioning who it was from.  
Immediately, Alastor felt something within him flutter at the mere mention of Anthony's name, the man looking down at the dead animals in his arms.   
"I, uh, I'll clean these up and then I shall read the letter. Do you mind if I read it over first before you do?"

Amélie shook her head, smiling wide.  
"Not at all! He's your friend and this is your mail, after all. Be quick though, I've been waiting since eleven this morning!"  
She said as she set the envelope down again and went to grab some cleaning supplies to help clean up the trail so they could get to the letter faster.

"I see it was a successful trip."  
The woman smiled, humming to herself as she went back to the front door where the trail began and knelt down, quickly starting to wipe up the animals' blood.

"Yes, it fortunately was. I even got lucky towards the end of the trip, finding a duck for us to have."   
Alastor called as he carried the game to the kitchen where he would clean everything up, deciding to leave the animals for now, wanting to open Anthony's letter as quickly as possible.

Alastor made sure to clean all of the animals and the kitchen down in record timing, washing his hands once again before he was walking into the lounge, rolling down his sleeves as he took a seat, having picked up the letter on his way over.   
"And this was all that was sent, yes?"   
He thought he'd clarify, just in case.

"That's it from Anthony, yes."  
Amélie replied with a nod, putting the bloodied rag in the sink and joined Alastor, sitting across from him.  
"Well, go on! There's no point in waiting!"  
She exclaimed, leaning forward in her seat a bit.

Alastor raised a brow at his mother's excitement, looking across at her as she leaned forwards.   
Carefully, Alastor opened up the envelope and slid the letter out that was encased inside. Taking the smallest of breaths, he unfolded the paper and brought it up closer to himself to read over.

_February 11th, 1921_

_Dearest Smiles,_

_It has been only a few hours since I have been home and I can already say that I miss New Orleans more than anything. I thought I was homesick after arriving but it seems to be just as bad, if not worse when I made it back home. New Orleans will always have a place in my heart._

Alastor read silently, his eyes calmly scanning across the paper. The small smile that was almost always on his face was unwavering, inner left corner of his mouth lifting slightly more at the comment Anthony had written about the city.

_I have been told my reward will be received Sunday the 13th, so by the time you get this, I will be a new man and will not be able to speak of anything regarding the family business again. I hope you understand._

_My brother did notice that I had grown a little bit since I left, thinking it was the sun that helped. It's unusual though, considering boys will stop growing around age 17. Not that I'm making any complaints, of course. Maybe I'll be as tall as my brother when I'm finished._

_In regards to your letter, yes, I did remember the flower you sent along. My sister said it was pretty._   
_I hope you don't mind me talking about you with her. I don't plan on mentioning anything "abnormal" that happened between us, knowing what might happen if word was to spread about that, however, everything will always be held near and dear to my heart._

Naturally, at even the mere mention of their unacceptable engagements together, Alastor understood that this letter was never going to be fully read by his mother. He would summarize the majority, however, would be careful in what he told her. His chin raising slightly, knowing that his mother's eyes were on him, he continued to read on. 

_I am going to find a way back to see you, as I have mentioned before. I am determined to see not only you but your mother as well. Both of you had made the trip more enjoyable than it would have if I stuck to my plan and instruction in keeping to myself._

_To think that we met by chance is astonishing. I consider myself lucky to know you and to have experienced everything we did together makes it that much better. I cannot thank you enough for everything._   
_Even if we never get the chance to meet again, or if your feelings happen to dissipate over the time that we are apart, I will understand and will continue to appreciate everything you have done for me and allowed me to witness._

_You have given me a new sense of hope that I am ever grateful for._

_I hope you and your mother are well now that the issue has been resolved with a certain someone regarding the hospital._   
_If there are any future problems, please let me know and I'll do what I can to help you._

_All the best from yours truly,_   
_Antonio Ragnatela._

Now that Alastor had read, he knew that he had to write back immediately. The letter was sweet, however, for the past two weeks, Alastor's mind had been filled with a number of topics he wanted to write to Anthony about; and now that he had his address, he could do just that.

Amélie watched for facial expressions to see if she could recognize any good or bad news that was within the writing without having to look at any of it.  
She missed Anthony and wanted to know that he was alright. She couldn't think of any reason that he wouldn't be, considering the letter had come presumably on time, so he must have arrived safe and sound with no delays.

Lowering the paper once he had read every letter on the page and had checked the back for anything, Alastor looked back up again towards his mother, smile growing fonder.   
"Yes, Anthony is well and he writes that his return journey to New York was all alright."

Amélie smiled and visibly relaxed, able to sense that he didn't want her to read the letter for herself.  
"That's wonderful news. I'm so glad."  
She sighed.  
"Was there anything else? Oh, you should also ask him for that pasta recipe he made for us. I'd like to try and make that again."  
She added.

"When you write back, we should make sure to send some ink too. I've managed to make quite a bit."  
She said.

Carefully folding the letter up and putting it back in its envelope, Alastor tucked it into his inner jacket pocket, planning to find a safe place to keep it when he made his way upstairs.

"He wishes you well too and hopes that after the news of Batallier's death, things will perhaps be a little easier at the hospital for you. But yes, I shall make sure to seal some ink bottles in along with the letter when I send it off tomorrow. I think that's a wonderful idea, Mama."

Amélie smiled and gave another nod.  
"Make sure he knows not to worry about me too much. I'm well and the hospital is doing just fine without Lawrence. Even better actually, but he doesn't need to know exactly that."  
She replied, standing from her seat and started making her way to the kitchen.

"Yes, don't worry. I won't tell him anything that's not necessary regarding the hospital."  
As his mother stood, Alastor did as well, deciding to finish what he started in the kitchen too before writing back to Anthony.

"Now, is there anything you'd like for dinner in particular?"  
She asked, switching the topic for now.

"Well, I was thinking we could make something out of that duck I got. I'll pluck, skin, and get it all prepared for you if you wish."

"That sounds delightful. I'll get everything ready for it."  
The woman smiled as she went into the cupboards to gather spices and cooking pans.   
"This is quite the treat. I can't remember the last time we've had duck."  
She stated with a hum as she grabbed a few other things to have with their meal.

Moving briefly into the lounge, Alastor removed his jacket and hung it on the back of one of the chairs before joining his mother in the kitchen once again.   
"Yes, I suppose I'm awfully lucky to have found it. _And_ shot it, haha!"  
  
  


Dinner was a little late that night, but it was nothing to complain about. The food came out wonderfully and was thoroughly enjoyed but both Amélie and Alastor.

Once all was cleaned up and put away, the two of them sat in the lounge; Alastor writing his response to Anthony and Amélie quietly reading. All rather peaceful and calm with the windows open and the sound of crickets coming in.

However, Amélie placed a hand on her stomach and closed her eyes, the sick feeling returning yet again. It wasn't overwhelming, but it was enough for her to notice.

Alastor sat in his chair in the lounge, letter paper in his lap, and a bottle of ink on the table beside him as he began to write his response to Anthony before he planned to retire for the evening. He would post the letter first thing in the morning before work so that it would hopefully arrive in two weeks' time.

Alastor had just started a new paragraph, dipping his pen back into the ink when he noticed his mother with her eyes closed, book open in her lap still.   
"Everything alright?"   
Alastor piped up, glancing back down at the letter as he continued to write.

Amélie nodded slowly, taking a deep breath before setting her book aside.  
"Yes, everything is fine. Excuse me."  
She replied as she stood and started making her way up the stairs and into the bathroom.

Something wasn't right and she very well knew it, but she didn't know _what_. It was likely just the duck or something not sitting quite right.  
Sitting herself down on the floor in front of the toilet, she lifted the seat just in case. She was feeling her body start to warm and sweat a little as her stomach continued to churn until she eventually found herself vomiting into the toilet not long after her arrival.

Alastor looked up as Amélie stood and rather briskly made her way up the stairs, the man waiting a few minutes before he too stood.   
Carefully placing the unfinished letter to the side, making sure the ink didn't smudge, Alastor began to walk up the stairs, the unmistakable sound of his mother retching in the bathroom causing him to naturally worry.

"Mama, are you unwell?"   
Alastor called, knocking on the door twice to announce himself.   
"I'm quite sure that the bird was cooked properly."

With a small cough, the woman nodded and took a breath, wiping her chin.  
"Yes dear, I'm... sure it's nothing. We've had a few... ugh- a few sick patients in recently..."  
She replied before flushing the vile away and rubbed her face, sitting back against the wall, eyes closing as she did her best to remain calm and level headed.

Alastor slowly opened the door to the bathroom, popping his head in and looking to where his mother sat upon the floor.   
"Can you stand?"   
He then asked, stepping into the room properly now.   
"Let's get you to bed. I shall put out the fire downstairs and bring you some water if you wish."   
He nodded, walking over to the woman.

"A bucket might be a good idea too."  
She sighed in response, reaching up to her son for assistance. She wasn't entirely sure if she'd be able to get up on her own, a sudden wave of exhaustion taking over her.

With help, she stood and was escorted to her bedroom not far from the bathroom, making sure to shut the light off on her way out.  
This felt like something she'd experienced twice before and feared it all, especially considering the circumstances, and if this sudden sickness was to continue, she would have to contact a trusted friend of hers to see if her suspicions were accurate.   
All she could do now though was pray that it wasn't what she feared.

Once his mother was sat down on her bed, Alastor checked once more whether she was alright before he left to fetch her a bucket and a drink.  
He wasn't too worried. Considering his mother worked as a nurse and came in contact with sick people on the daily, it was no surprise that sometimes she did fall ill.  
Once back downstairs, he grabbed a bucket that was by the porch door and on his way back up once again, made sure to get his mother a drink of water too.

Laying herself down, the woman took a few deep breaths to keep herself calm.   
When Alastor returned with the water and the bucket, she thanked him in a whisper.  
"Thank you, Alastor. Don't be up too late now, alright? I'll see you in the morning."  
She said, not bothering to change into her nightwear just yet if at all that night. She might wake up later and change but for now, she needed to rest.

Setting both the bucket and water down, Alastor nodded in his mother's direction, knowing she would be alright before he took his leave back downstairs again.

Taking a seat in his chair, picking up where he left off with Anthony's letter, Alastor continued, the sound of crickets and the crackling of the fire from the fireplace being the only sounds that surrounded him as he wrote.


	30. Chapter 30

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Monday, March 14th, 1921  
New York City  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

It was early one morning that the Ragnatela household was beginning to rise for the day; seven in the morning sharp, but even this was considered late for routine.

Anthony was just crawling out of bed when he heard something that always seemed to crack him up no matter what time of day it was or what the context was.  
His father's voice rung through the halls of the estate as he sang in the bathroom as he got ready for the day.  
A smile crept up to Anthony's face as he tried to hold back his laughter at his father's dramatics, making his way to the bathroom that his father was in and sat outside. While there were other bathrooms in the house he could use, he wasn't going to pass up his father's vocal show.  
It was safe to assume Molly and Giovanni were already awake and off doing their own things because Molly would have been with him right outside the door with her twin.  
They _always_ got a kick out of this.

Molly, someone who usually _had_ to wake up early but more than often was one of the last ones to, surprisingly found herself waking up rather early that morning. When the time hit seven, she was sitting at her vanity, still in her nightgown, but about to dress, however, the echoing of some rather loud opera singing coming from what sounded like down the hallway made a smirk pull up her lips.

"La donna è mobile. Qual piuma al vento, muta d'accento, e di pensiero. Sempre un amabile, leggiadra viso, in pianto o in riso, è menzognera."  
His father sang out with as much passion and feeling as he seemed to possibly muster.   
This song in particular was only ever sung when it was getting close to the anniversary of Henry's wife's passing. It was something he would sing for her all the time. The song in question was Guiseppe Verdi's 'La donna è mobile', an opera that meant a lot to them as a couple. It was coming up quickly, only a few weeks away.   
March thirtieth.

"La donna è mobil qual piuma al vento muta d'accento e di pensier!"  
The singing continued, Anthony taking a seat right next to the door, mouthing the words along with his father and swishing his hands in sync with the rhythm as if leading an orchestra or the singer himself.

Standing from the vanity and walking over to the door, Molly couldn't help the snort of a laugh that she let out as she listened for a moment or two. Whether Anthony was already out there listening, she didn't care, but she made her exit to the hallway dramatic, swinging her bedroom door open and stepping out miming the lyrics to the song just as her father started the main tune of the song again.

"E' sempre misero. Chi a lei s'affida!"

Anthony heard the door open from just down the hall, head whipping in the direction as a wide smile pulled at his lips and started to stand again once he saw his sister come forward with her dramatics.

"Chi le confida, mal cauto il cuore!"  
Anthony crossed his arms over his chest and made himself look stern before softening his expression as the singing continued, the twins mouthing the words in time.  
"Pur mai non sentesi, felice appieno, chi su quel seno non liba amore!"  
He put a hand over his heart and got down on one knee, acting out the lyrics as he then mimicked having a bow and arrow in his hands and aimed for his sister for the next and final verse.

It took everything within Molly not to break down in laughter at both her father's loud opera and Anthony's mimicking actions that fit so well with the song.   
As Anthony got down on one knee, Molly slowly yet dramatically began to walk down the hall towards him, clasping her hands together in a pleading motion as she neared her brother.

"La donna è mobile. Qual piuma al vento,"   
As Anthony mimicked shooting a bow, Molly froze, a hand falling to her chest, the other brushing her forehead as she stumbled forwards in time to the stretched and lingering words before dramatically starting to fall.   
"Muta d'accento. E di pensier!"

The final word was held long and strong, Anthony standing again and rushing to his sister. Before she could fall, he carefully held her in one arm while the other slowly raised up over his head the longer the note was held.

Molly went limp in her brother's arms as the song hit its peak and then came to an end, the woman resting the back of her hand over her eyes as she played dead for a few seconds. 

When it stopped, Anthony having to cover his mouth to stop himself from laughing hysterically at how silly this tradition of theirs was.

The song and time of year meant a lot to their father and it wasn't really something to make fun of, but this was always something Henry would do while getting ready for the day. The songs varied but every single one was always so dramatic and heartfelt that they _had_ to take part in it; not like they could simply ignore it either.

There were a few moments of silence before the bathroom door swung open, their father fully dressed in a suit and hair neatly slicked back with an expression that could _murder_.

Anthony's eyes widened and let go of his sister, pulling her back towards their bedrooms, while still trying his damn best not to laugh.

At the sudden sound of the bathroom door loudly opening, Molly stumbled to get up, she definitely would have fallen flat on the floor if Anthony hadn't helped her by pulling her away from the bathroom, Henry towering over both of them.

"What're you two doin'? Y' ain't even presentable yet!"  
The head of the house shouted after them.

Anthony may have been trying not to laugh, but Molly, on the other hand, didn't have the strength to keep quiet any longer.  
"E di pensier!"   
She sang loudly in a comically deep voice, bursting into a fit of laughter as she reached her bedroom door and flung it open.

Once they made it a safe distance and Molly made her chime, Anthony doubled over, holding his stomach, and leaned against the wall, finally letting out his laughter.

This was always his favorite way to begin the day, no matter the time of year. It wasn't often that they would get caught red-handed like that, especially by their own father.

Soon, Anthony sighed and stood up straight.  
"I'm gunna go get dressed now. That was good."  
He chuckled, heading back to his room.

Taking a few seconds to regain her breath, Molly eventually nodded with her smile wide on her face.  
"Yeah, me too. I'll be quick so I can check the mail for ya and make us all some breakfast."   
She grinned before entering her own room, the door closing behind her.

Molly honestly loved nothing more than when she occasionally got to mess around with Anthony. Things weren't so serious for a moment, and for once some lighthearted fun was allowed.

Anthony made sure he got ready quickly, seeing as Molly was already almost completely ready when she joined in on the fun, not going to take her long to finish up and be out to start the day.

Giovanni was already up and ready by the time Anthony went downstairs, sitting in the dining room waiting for breakfast quietly with Henry at the head of the long table that could seat ten people, reading over the morning paper.

Anthony completely skipped the dining room though and went right for the kitchen where Molly now was, making breakfast.  
"Anything yet?"  
He asked.

Molly was stood in the kitchen over the state of the art oven and stovetop as she cooked away for her family that morning. There weren't many people around that could afford kitchen appliances such as the ones that the Ragnatela household had, so Molly was always endlessly grateful for their family's wealth.

With her apron around her waist, she was just plating up the strips of bacon, bread rolls, and grapefruit for everyone when she heard Anthony entering the kitchen, his voice sounding out behind her.   
A smile rose to her face as she nodded over her shoulder, pointing to the small table that was in the corner of the kitchen.   
"It's over there for ya."   
She announced, grabbing a tray to place the plates on.   
"Foods ready now, so I'm afraid y' gunna have to read it after breakfast."

Anthony's smile only grew at the news, having been anxiously waiting for the next one of Alastor's letters since the moment he sent his reply. The only thing was that it was a bit of a bigger parcel, clearly having something bulky inside.  
He decided to leave it for now until he was finished eating, so he grabbed it and put it in one of the drawers for now just in case one of the other two decided to go into the kitchen for some reason.

"Lemme help ya."  
He said as he walked over to his sister and started putting the plates on the tray, then picked it up and started carrying it to the dining room.  
He was probably going to get yelled at for helping, but he didn't care. His mood couldn't be topped and nothing could bring him down either.

Molly smiled a little more as her brother offered to help with the breakfast plates, letting him put the four onto a tray.   
"Thanks."   
She nodded, grabbing four glasses from one of the cupboards and then a large glass bottle of fresh orange juice. A breakfast staple.

Molly followed Anthony through the long hallway to get to the dining room, clearing her throat as the two of them approached the table to get everyone's attention.   
"I'll get 'cha mail in a second, Papa."   
The woman said, placing all four glasses down on the large table and beginning to pour the orange juice, starting with their father first. 

As expected, Henry raised a brow upon seeing Anthony helping but for once said nothing about it.   
Anthony passed out the plates as Molly got the mail and poured the juice.  
Taking a seat, the male twin watched their father, waiting for him to take the first bite before following along.   
Another rule of the household; do not start eating until the superior does.

After pouring everyone a drink, Molly quickly dashed out of the dining room and returned a few moments later with their father's mail, passing it over to him before she finally took a seat.

Henry silently took the mail handed to him and started looking each piece over as he took the first bite of his breakfast, the children following immediately.   
Anthony especially wasted no time. He wanted to see what Alastor had given him as soon as he could.

Giovanni looked across the table at his younger brother and raised a brow.  
"Slow down. You're gunna choke."  
He scolded under his breath, keeping his voice low as not to disturb the head of the house.

As Giovanni scolded Anthony, Molly glanced across to her twin, raising a brow before remembering why he was eating so quickly. Alastor's letter. She was quite curious to know what the man nicknamed by Anthony as 'Smiles' had sent her brother, the letter that had come in that morning rather heavy, something clearly more than just a letter inside.

A few minutes passed before Molly looked over to Henry, seeing that his attention wasn't on the mail anymore.  
"Papa."   
Molly began quietly.   
"I was wondering if I could go shoppin' this mornin'."   
She quietly asked. Ever since the day of Anthony's initiation where her brother had rummaged around in her closet to help her with an outfit, she'd wanted to get some new dresses and today seemed like a good day to do so.

Glancing up at his daughter from his plate for a moment, Henry raised a brow. He was always more tolerant towards her due to the fact she looked like his late wife almost to a T. Molly didn't have dimples like her, Anthony taking those for himself along with her eyes, but just about everything else was perfect.

"What for?"  
He asked bluntly before continuing to pick away at his food.   
Every year as it crept closer and closer to March thirtieth, he became less talkative, sociable and ate less and less with each passing day and even a week or so after.

Everyone in the house knew what Henry was like during this time of the year. Every year without fail; and for Molly, it almost saddened her to see her father this way, a usually powerful and authoritative man that could grab an entire rooms attention with just his presence alone.

"Just thought I'd get a new dress or two... need some new ones anyway."   
She responded, keeping her eyes down on her food as she took another sip of her drink.

Normally Henry would oppose and say she had enough in her wardrobe as it was but instead he simply took a breath and shifted to pull his wallet from his pocket, motioning for her to come closer.  
"Tony will take ya. Make sure you're safe."  
He said, handing her a wad of cash when she was close enough.  
"Take Gio's motorcar."  
He stated to Anthony, who froze and glanced around the table, a few crumbs of food falling from his cheeks.

"Thank ya Papa."   
She said softly once she'd accepted the money, nodding as he assigned Anthony to stay with her and make sure she was safe while they were out. 

If there was one thing Molly _hadn't_ expected to hear, then it was her father letting Anthony borrow Giovanni's car for the day. From what she was aware of, Anthony had only driven once or twice before, and to say the least... he wasn't the greatest of drivers, but alas, it seemed that they were going to be driving around the city today.

"Uh... pops I dunno-"  
Giovanni began but was cut off.

"Did I stutter? You and I got work t' do and if anythin' happens t' your vehicle we'll get it fixed. Shaddup and eat."  
Henry stated firmly before he got up and left the table, going to his office.

Anthony didn't say anything, just watching the scene unfold before looking at his brother.

"Better be careful with it."  
Giovanni sighed before getting up as well, leaving the dining room to follow his father.

With Giovanni and Henry out of the dining room, that left just Molly and Anthony, the woman turning to her brother.   
"Y' hear that? He's lettin' ya take his damn motorcar! Today's gunna be great, I know it."

Anthony nodded, finishing up his breakfast and wiped his face.  
"It'll be nice t' get outta the house, that's for sure."  
He said as he started loading the presumably finished dishes onto the tray again and carried it all back to the kitchen. 

Molly watched as her brother gathered the dishes and brought them into the kitchen, the woman still finishing off her breakfast.

He then grabbed his little package and poked his head into the dining room.  
"I'll be up in my room when you're ready t' go."  
He said before heading up in a bit of a rush so he could open the letter faster.

"Alright, I'll call for you when I'm ready."   
She smiled, knowing that she'd have to clean and put away the breakfast dishes before she could go anywhere.

Anthony rushed up to his bedroom and quickly closed the door behind him, sitting down on his bed as he started opening the package. Inside were two bottles of ink and a single piece of paper. This confused him a little but unfolded the letter carefully, certain it held the answers to this gift.  
  


_February 25th 1921_

_Dear Anthony,_

_Your words flatter me, truly and New Orleans is missing your presence I'm sure. I know that both myself and Mama already miss you and your cooking. Speaking of which, would you be able to list the recipe for the Italian meal you made for us that evening? Mama would like to try making it some time, and while I'm sure it wouldn't live up to the standard of your version, it would just be swell to have it again._

_In regards to the business of your family, you do not have to worry. I understand. Everyone has their things they cannot speak about. As for your reward and becoming a new man, I hope that everything it entails is worth it. There's nothing like regretting an impactful decision._

_As you may have seen already, enclosed in the envelope are two bottles of ink. I do hope you choose to use them as they are made by us. My mother and I decided to make our own while she took a few days off of work. It was quite an entertaining activity, I must say. Perhaps if you ever return to New Orleans, I could introduce you to the method of making ink from flowers._

_I apologize for cutting this quite short, however, Mama has been unwell this evening and I must check on her. As I write this letter to you, I plan to post it early the next morning before I have to work so that it may get to you as soon as possible._

_I look forward to the arrival of your next letter and wish you and your sister well._

_Kind regards,_   
_Alastor Levesque._

As he read his heart melted and of course took note of the things he should send back. He could only hope that Amélie was okay and hope that nothing bad had happened over the time that the letter had traveled. Maybe he would include another recipe for a soup that his sister would make for the family when someone fell ill. It was pretty simple.   
Of course, with all of the things to happen that day, he would have to wait to write his reply, so it would give him some time to gather the recipes and perhaps a few other things that he might have come across over the day. 

Holding the two bottles of ink, Anthony smiled and examined each one carefully. This ink would only be used for special things. When he visited again, he would be looking forward to learning how to make his own, even if the practice wouldn't be able to be used at home.

Getting up from his bed, Anthony grabbed a fresh piece of paper and a clean pen, took the cork out of one of the bottles and dipped the pen to test the ink. He noticed that one of the inks was red-ish pink and the other looked blue but as he tested it, it was more of a purple color, both beautiful and he was certain he would be able to make something beautiful with them.

Molly was quick, as usual, in cleaning up the dishes in the kitchen and putting everything away, making sure everything was clean before finally untying her apron and hanging it up on the peg behind the kitchen door as she left to head upstairs.

She was already dressed and had the most minimal amount of makeup on, so all she had to do was call for Anthony and grab her hat and handbag.

"Anthony, are y' ready to leave?"   
She called as she walked past her brother's bedroom to go to her own.

Anthony was expecting Molly already so he put the cork back in the bottle and put everything in the box he designated for Alastor's letters, grabbing his wallet before leaving his room.  
"All set."  
He replied with a nod as he moved to stand outside of her room just next door.  
"Y' got everythin'?"  
He asked as he started heading to the stairs so they could get their coats and he could grab the keys.  
He was a little nervous about using not only his brother's car but any car in general. It was a miracle and probably the fact that his family had money that he even got his license. With Molly with him though, he was going to be sure to be extra careful.

As she waited for her brother, Molly grabbed both her hat and her handbag, putting the wad of cash that her father had given her safely away in her purse.   
"Yeah, I think so."   
She called, pulling her velvet tam hat on over her head, her handbag under her arm.

"Still can't believe Papa let y' use Gio's motorcar. He'll stuff ya in a Chicago overcoat if y' put even a scratch on it though."   
She laughed lightheadedly as the two of them began to walk down the stairs and towards the coatroom.

Anthony pulled his coat on and rolled his eyes with a chuckle.  
"I know, but don't 'cha think he's just overdramatic? Ain't like we don't have the money t' fix it or even get him a new one."  
He replied.  
"I mean, I know we ain't supposed t' flaunt what we got and use it unnecessarily, but c'mon."  
He sighed as he grabbed the keys before heading to their father's office, gently knocking.

"Pops? We're headin' out now. I'll keep Maria safe, don't worry. Gio, your motorcar is gunna be fine."  
He said as he poked his head inside, the two being addressed simply nodded and Anthony started heading for the back door in the laundry room just off of the kitchen towards the garage.

"Y' got an idea of where y' wanna go?"  
Anthony asked Molly as he unlocked the garage door and pulled it open. They had three cars in total, one of which was never used unless it was a special occasion, Giovanni's car and their father's.

"I need to go to a custom department and order in a dress. Maybe Lord n' Taylors too. Anywhere _you_ wanna go?"   
She then asked, looking across at the other as she walked through the garage and towards Giovanni's car, opening the passenger door.

Molly always loved going on days out with Anthony, and ever since his return from New Orleans, the two of them hadn't really been anywhere together.   
"We can stop for lunch somewhere too if we got time."

Anthony gave a nod and opened the driver's side door, getting in and starting the car up.  
"I dunno. We got all day, really. If I think of somewhere, we'll go."  
He replied as he carefully put the car into first gear and moved it out of the garage, parked it again, got out, closed the garage door again, and got back into the car. Tedious every time they had to go somewhere.  
"It's gettin' warmer out. Can't wait for summer."  
He hummed to himself as he put the car in gear again and carefully started to drive down the long driveway and towards the city.   
Anthony may not have been the most confident driver nor the best, but it was a work in progress that there was never any time to practice for. Of course, he went the speed limit and always made sure to abide by the road laws at all times.

"Oh, yeah, me too."   
Molly agreed with a nod, pulling her handbag into her lap and rummaging around before pulling out a small pocket mirror.   
"Summer's real great. I won't have to go around wearin' a damn overcoat everywhere, y' know?"

Now that it was just her and Anthony going out for the day, her father not in sight, she figured she'd doll herself up a little more. After all, going around the city was something that called for looking good, in her opinion.   
With her small pocket mirror open, Molly opened her purse and pulled out a tube of rouge colored lipstick.   
"Anythin' you wanna do this summer? "   
She asked, neatly and carefully applying the lipstick.   
"Don't drive over any bumps please-"

Anthony scoffed a little.  
"I'll do my best."  
He said as he continued on.  
"I got a few things I'd like t' do but I can't see 'em happenin' anytime soon. I wanna go back down south and actually enjoy my time there rather than have t' follow some scumbag around."  
He sighed. He missed the warmth that resided further south where the snow rarely graced the skies and ground. It was quite the dream. Now that he had experienced it, he loved it and wanted it to stay a year-round reality.

"What about you? Got anythin' y' wanna do?"  
He asked, keeping his eyes on the road and making sure to keep the ride as smooth as possible.

Molly smiled at herself in the little pocket mirror in satisfaction at the well-done job of putting her lipstick on, putting everything away again as she turned back to her brother.   
"Maybe Papa will let ya go back sometime. He _can_ be lenient when he wants t' be."   
She chuckled softly.   
"As for me? Well, y' already know what my dream is, but I don't see that happenin' any time soon either."   
It was common knowledge that Molly's dream vacation was to go to Paris someday. She'd expressed the desire to do so to her father many times before, but the answer hadn't ever changed.

"I mean, New Orleans might be kinda like France? People speak a lotta French there."  
Her twin explained with a bit of a shrug.  
"Maybe we should wait 'till next year seein' as this time of year is when he's most likely t' agree t' somethin'; as proven t'day. How much did he give ya anyway?"  
Anthony asked, glancing over at his sister for a moment before putting his eyes back on the road ahead, still being as careful as possible.   
They lived close to the outskirts of the city, the area rather quiet due to very few houses around.

Molly raised her brow a little, opening her purse up again and quickly counting through the wad of cash.   
"Tony, just 'cause people _speak_ French doesn't mean it's like France."   
She huffed, pausing a moment as she counted through the last few notes.   
"Well, I'll be dammed. Two hundred big ones- yeah, he definitely ain't in his usual mood."

"Merda santa! Think about what he'll be like when the day actually gets here! He'll be a damn rug y' can walk all over."  
Anthony replied in disbelief.  
"Kinda wonderin' if he's gunna be alright... I mean, normally I wouldn't care but this is almost worryin'."  
He sighed with a shake of his head.

Molly sighed a little, shrugging softly as she glanced out the window.   
"I do worry about him."   
She sighed once again.   
"I know it happens every year, as we said, like clockwork, but do y' think he's ever gunna get over it? I mean, it's been fifteen years and he ain't as bad as what he used t' be. But still."

"I... I dunno. It's almost like hills. Sometimes it's real bad and sometimes it ain't. There's no real way of knowin' what we're gunna get."  
Anthony still resented his father, but he couldn't help but feel bad for him sometimes, especially after experiencing what love might have been like, Anthony felt like if he himself lost that after so long of being so immersed and deep in it, he would probably be the same way.   
"Y' think we should do somethin' for him this year? I got an idea but I know he ain't gunna like it one bit..."

Molly understood that Anthony wasn't on the best of terms with their father- he had never been, but she found it nice that he was worried about him, even slightly.   
"What's the idea? I really think it would be nice t' do somethin' for him. If it's something he ain't gunna like, I'll just say it was my idea. He probably won't mind as much."   
She shrugged again, leaning her head back against the leather seats of the car.

"Well, what if we grabbed one of his albums and I redrew or maybe even painted a portrait of her? I mean, the pictures ain't in color but we could just improvise with that. I feel like it would be kinda risky."  
Anthony explained, the city becoming thicker now as they neared more of the downtown area.

Molly immediately lit up at that idea, an even wider smile forming on her face as she looked across at her twin.   
"I think that's an amazin' idea, Tony!"   
She exclaimed.   
"I think he'd really like it. No use keepin' all the pictures of her away in albums, it's about time there was a paintin' of her somewhere in the house!"

Upon seeing Molly so excited about the idea, Anthony raised a brow.  
"I think I could recreate the only family portrait we got with her. Maybe we shouldn't tell him I did it though."  
He said, beginning to come up with a plan.  
"If we really do wanna go through with it, we could pick up and paints and canvas while we're out t'day and I could work on it while the others are busy. I could maybe fake a fever a few times just t' stay home and work on it. Then when we present it, we could say we asked someone t' do it for us while we were out t'day and it took 'em that long t' complete."  
He explained with a shrug, kind of getting excited for this little project now too.

Molly smiled softly at that, nodding, knowing what family portrait Anthony was talking about.   
"I can cover for ya, sayin' I'm looking after ya fever and all that."   
She nodded.   
"But I definitely think we shouldn't tell him it was you. Y' know how he got that one time he saw ya drawin'."

Anthony nodded.  
"Yeah... y' know, I don't get why he's got such a problem with it. Smiles says he loves my work. Even drew him for his birthday and I got nothin' but compliments."  
He sighed.  
"He made a good point too. Some of history's greatest artists were men so... what's wrong with me doin' it?"  
He huffed, slowing the car down a little as they found themselves on one of the main stretches of New York City, more cars and people that Tony had to look out for.

Molly's eyes narrowed almost smugly as she listened to Anthony talking about Alastor and the compliments that he supposedly showered him with.   
"Smiles seems to like ya quite a bit, eh?"   
She grinned, nudging the other in the side. 

"He's a nice guy. That's all there is t' that."  
Anthony rolled his eyes as he looked around, making sure he wasn't going to hit anyone or anything.

"A nice guy that ya _sure_ seem to talk a lot about. He musta made quite the impact on ya, huh?"   
Molly smirked all the more, shrugging slightly.  
"But he's right. A buncha artists _are_ men. I gotta bring that point to Papa some time, see what his problem is with it."

"I don't think it's gunna do anythin' beneficial, but y' can try seein' as he listens t' ya the most."  
He said as he looked for a spot to park now that they were near the shop Molly wanted to go to for her dresses.

"He only listened t' me cause I'm a woman, y' know that." 

Looking out the window, Molly beamed, seeing all the department stores she was desperate to explore.

"And 'cause y' look like Ma."  
He added before falling silent so he could focus on parking.

It was rare that Molly got to go out like this and not have Giovanni breathing down her neck, so Anthony was really glad they got to do this.

Finally parking the car, Anthony almost forgot to actually put the car in park before shutting it off. He made sure to take the keys with him as well, something he forgot to do once before.  
He got out of the car and walked around to the other side, opening the passenger door for his sister.  
"Big day in the big city, huh?"  
He smiled a bit, offering his arm to his sister after she got out and closed the door behind her.

Molly was just about to get out of the car herself when the door opened for her, thanking her brother as she took his arm and brushed down her skirt upon standing up.   
"A big day out that I've been waitin' a long time for."   
She chuckled, the two of them beginning to walk towards the bustling street where all the department store entrances were.

Anthony brought her into the dress shop she talked about wanting to visit, luckily opened not long ago.  
He opened the door for her and followed her inside.  
"Hopefully we'll find somethin' y' like. Can't imagine pops is gunna like us bein' out later than the afternoon."  
He said as he started looking at the fabrics that lined the store along with the premade dresses that one could order.

The way things worked in these high-end places was rather interesting in Anthony's eyes. One would go in either already with their measurements or without and the seamstress would take them for you, you would tell her which dress or dresses you wanted to have made, which fabric, and depending on the shop and intricacy included on your dress, they would have it specifically fit for you by the next day to the end of the business week.  
The lower-end places had recently started to just make clothes in varying general sizes for one to simply go in and purchase without the waiting period.

"Don't worry, I won't make us drag around dress stores the entire time until the afternoon. I know you wanna buy paints and things too."   
Usually, Molly would have gone in with her measurements, quickly ordered and been on her way, but today she had all the time she needed. It had been a while since she'd last been measured anyways, so she figured why not. Both the color and style of dress Molly already had in her mind as they entered the store, a woman immediately coming up to her.

"Hold this for me, wouldja."   
Molly called over to Anthony, handing him her handbag to hold while she got measured up for the dress. The seamstress that approached to take her measurements was a young woman, quite pretty with dark hair and a fair complexion. Tall too, for a woman at least.

Anthony took the bag and went to sit down, watching the interaction just to make sure Molly was safe, as per their father's constant demand. Anthony wasn't overbearing though, giving his sister space instead of being right up beside her and practically in the way of anyone touching her.

As the seamstress was taking the measurements, she and Molly had started to make small conversation that Anthony wanted no part in, if he was completely honest. He did notice Molly's body language and her facial expressions. He didn't want to jump to conclusions though because she wasn't allowed out of the house too often, so any human interaction outside of the immediate family was probably the most exciting thing to her.

As Anthony waited, he started going over the things he was planning on buying and sending off to Alastor, along with what he was going to say in his next letter in reply. He might even write back using some of the ink Alastor sent.

As her measurements were taken, Molly indeed made small talk with the seamstress, finding the young woman to be very pleasant indeed, even catching herself laughing a few more times than was probably necessary for what the other woman was saying.   
Her body language was quite relaxed, Molly occasionally and naturally leaning closer to the seamstress as they talked.   
But it was true, very rarely did Molly get to indulge in the company of people other than her father and brothers, so of course she was going to be a bit more elated than usual. Going out like this was a treat for her.

When all of her measurements had been taken, the seamstress left Molly to put her coat back on, the worker of the store swaying over to the counter at the front where Molly would pick out the material and pattern for her custom made dress.   
As she walked, head held high and tape measure in a loose grip, Molly watched silently, a hand resting at one of the buttons of her overcoat where she'd paused for what felt like the briefest of moments. That was until dark eyes met her own and Molly quickly pulled her gaze down to the ground, cheeks a hint redder before she gathered herself, and followed to the counter to continue her order.

Anthony's eyes narrowed slightly and his head tilted to the side. He wasn't an expert on any of this by any means, but he was almost certain it was like looking back at his own interactions with Alastor...   
He didn't see his sister interact with woman very often not had he seen many interactions between other women as well, so he wasn't sure if that sort of behavior was normal or if it meant something more.

Standing from his seat now, he joined his sister and looked over the fabrics.  
"Y' know what 'cher gunna get?"  
He asked.

"Spring is on the way, so you might want to look at the upcoming spring fashion."  
The seamstress smiled, placing a book down in front of the twins.  
"Shorter dresses are showing to be quite popular, coming up mid-calf."  
The woman stated, looking to Molly and keeping her eyes on her.

Anthony spotted something in the woman's eyes as she looked at his sister.

Glancing over her shoulder as Anthony came to join her at the counter, Molly cleared her throat slightly, raising an eyebrow as the seamstress suggested a shorter style of dress that was supposedly coming into fashion.   
"Y' think he'd kill me if I came home with a shorter dress?"   
Molly sighed at her brother, taking her handbag back with a small thank you.

"Depends on the time of year. You'd get away with it for now but he ain't gunna like it later."  
Anthony replied as he took another look around the shop.

Thinking about it for a moment with a hum, Molly quickly nodded.   
"He can think what he wants. If it's in fashion, it's in fashion."  
Looking down at the book, she turned the page, immediately spotting a style of shorter dress that looked beautifully elegant, perfect for any occasion.   
"Do y' have blouses too?"   
She then asked, keeping her eyes down on the clothing catalog.

The seamstress gave a nod and pulled out another book that held every individual piece of clothing they offered and flipped to the blouses section in the book.  
"Of course."  
She smiled.

Molly grinned a little more, briefly making eye contact with the seamstress again before glancing back down at the second book that was shown to her.  
Immediately, she spotted a style of blouse that was, in her opinion, absolutely stunning.   
"Oh!"   
She exclaimed excitedly.   
"Could y' do that one in red? It's awfully pretty. That one and the shorter dress."

"Red would suit you very well in contrast to your hair color. An excellent choice."  
The woman complimented with a nod as she started writing down the product numbers so she could easily find the patterns for it.  
"Just the dress and the blouse?"  
She asked.

Molly paused a moment in thought, looking back over her shoulder at Anthony for his opinion. "Whatcha think?"   
She knew that the price of just a blouse and a dress from this store was barely anything considering how much she'd been given by their father that morning, but she still wanted to know if it would be a good idea or not to buy any more clothes. Her father had already mentioned that she had enough as it was.

Anthony looked to his sister for a moment before stepping closer and looked down at the catalog.  
"Whatever y' want. Any clothes y' wanna get ride of, y' know y' could always make somethin' else outta them or put 'em all up in the attic t' make room for new stuff."  
He shrugged as he flipped a few pages, raising a brow and pointing at another dress.  
"Get that one in a nice blue."

The seamstress nodded, writing the product number down.

"Y' wanna get somethin' new t' wear for Ma's day?"  
He asked, glancing at Molly.

Molly smiled softly as Anthony picked out another dress for her, knowing that it would look great on her. He always had an eye for picking out pieces of clothing and accessories that just looked perfect on her.   
"Yeah, I think I will."   
She nodded, looking back down at the book and flicking through a few pages before she finally settled on a lightweight all silk charmeuse frock. It was a similar style to the first dress she had ordered, the length significantly shorter than the dresses she'd had in the past, but it was elegant nonetheless with embroidery along the square neckline.   
"This one too, in a light pink color if y' can."

As for coats, Molly had seen a beautiful fur one during her last detour through the department store, however, it was in another store that they would have to go to.   
"I think that's everythin'?"

Anthony gave a nod as the seamstress wrote down the final numbers and started totaling the order.  
"Excellent. And the name on the order?"  
She asked as she continued with the math.

"Ragnatela. R-A-G-N-A-T-E-L-A."  
Anthony stated with a nod, spelling the name as it was sometimes a difficult one to outsiders.

The woman wrote the name down on the top of the sheet of paper and nodded.  
"Wonderful. I'll have everything ready for you Friday morning guaranteed or I'll discount your purchase. Will you be paying now or then?"  
She asked.

Bringing up her handbag to rest upon the counter, Molly pulled out her purse.   
"We'll pay for all that now. Uh, if I don't come to pick it up Friday, he will instead."   
Gesturing towards Anthony as she got the money ready, she smiled. She knew that she wasn't always allowed out of the house, so the chances of her being available to pick up the clothing on Friday morning was quite slim.

Giving a nod, the seamstress added the prices together and smiled.  
"Seventy-five even."  
She said as she looked between the two.  
"Excuse the intrusive question, but the two of you are siblings, correct?"

Anthony raised a brow at the question and slowly nodded as Molly gathered and counted her money.  
"Twins, yeah."

"Oh, twins. That's quite the feature."  
The woman replied with interest in her voice.

It was a bit odd, someone asking if she and Anthony were siblings, especially since Molly thought it was quite obvious that they were. Even so, she carefully listened, for some reason, to the seamstress's reaction to hearing that, her brows raising even further at the presumption that followed. 

"I assume you've got yourselves some fine partners as well, considering how well mannered and attractive you are. Both of you."

Anthony's eyes narrowed. This woman seemed to be prying an awful lot. He wasn't sure if this was a normal conversation topic between people outside of the business they were involved with.   
Was she asking if he was available? Was she asking if his _sister_ was available? He hadn't any idea.

Molly froze, a burst of a laugh escaping her lips as she slid eighty dollars across the counter to the seamstress. She too was unsure whether this was a regular conversational topic or not, but regardless, replied to the woman.   
"No actually, we ain't seein' anyone. Neither of us." 

Anthony wasn't sure how to answer that question so he was glad she did.

Stuffing her purse back in her handbag, Molly took a step back from the counter, suddenly feeling quite warm now that she thought about it.   
"Oh- keep what's leftover as a tip for ya service. It was real swell, thanks."

The woman was about to gather the money to return but stopped, seeing as the twins were about to leave the shop.  
"Oh, thank you kindly."  
She smiled with a bow of her head.  
"I hope to see you this Friday, miss."

" _I'll_ hopefully be there!"   
Molly called with a wave of her hand as she exited the store, her brother opening the door for her.

"So uh... what was that about?"

Anthony asked.

As soon as they were back out onto the street again, Molly turned her attention to her brother, giving him a slight look. 

"What 'cha talkin' about? What was _what_ about, huh?"

Anthony raised a brow and gave his sister a look of unamused suspicion.  
"Hmm, I dunno. The looks y' gave her? Never saw those before. What about the redness in your cheeks? Gettin' a cold or somethin'? Couldn't be 'cause it went away pretty quick."  
He pried as they slowly walked back towards the car.

Molly could only scoff in what sounded to be disbelief, shaking her head in clear un amusement.   
"What're ya tryin' to imply, _Anthony_?"   
She pressed, clearly irritated now due to the use of his full name.   
"I could have a cold for all ya damn know."

Anthony chuckled a little and shook his head.  
"I dunno, _Maria_. I've seen ya sick and when y' are, you're a miserable little grouch. Y' definitely weren't back in there. She was a pretty Sheba, I'll give her that."  
He shrugged. It felt weird to talk about a woman like that for him, only really ever thinking of men, and until recently, only having eyes for one certain man.

"She was alright. Don't know why y' suddenly became so interested in women _now_."   
Rolling her eyes, Molly simply shook her head again, noticing they were headed back in the direction of the car. 

"I've always been int' women. Y' just ain't around when I happen t' talk about it."  
He rolled his eyes, cringing internally at his own lies.

"Oh yeah, cause I'm sure Gio and Papa hear ya talkin' about them _all_ the time. And all the other people you speak to outside our home. But not me."   
It was now her time to get a sly comment or two in, Molly grinning slyly.

She did have a good point. He would have talked to her about it all first if he talked about it with anyone at all.

"Anyways, was there anywhere else y' wanted t' look?"  
He asked, switching the topic as quickly as he could.

"If you wanna go get y' paints, I saw a coat that I wanna pick up."   
She nodded.   
"I also gotta pick up a few things from the department store upstairs, but you don't have 'ta follow me up there. I'm sure it ain't your scene."

"You're sure you'll be alright? The paints are the next street over. Dad's gunna kill me if he finds out I left ya alone."  
Anthony warned.

"Papa ain't gunna find out. I'm not gunna tell him, and you ain't either. So it's all berries, aye?"

'All berries'. Alastor would say that a lot. And 'the bee's knees'. The more he heard those phrases, the more he found himself missing the man.   
Shaking his head to pull himself back, Anthony gave a nod.  
"Alright. If you're done b'fore I get back, wait by the car. I'll wait for ya at the car otherwise, deal?"

"Deal! I'll see ya then, Tony!" 

With a spring in her step, Molly began to wander off towards the store she wanted to visit.

Nodding, Anthony gave Molly a small wave before making his way towards the shop he knew of. He'd never been inside before in fear of his father finding out but today was going to be the day.   
Of course, as he made it inside, he didn't know what he was looking for or how he was going to pull this off. He'd never painted before in his life. He wasn't hesitant in asking for help to find whatever was needed though, the woman of the shop very friendly and encouraging.

After a while, he managed to use a lot of the money he had on him to buy a few canvases, oil paints, watercolor paints and paper, brushes, two palettes and an easel.   
This was a lot he was going to have to somehow hide but damn it, he was determined.   
Making his way back to the car, he opened the back door and carefully put everything inside with a content hum.

Molly made sure to not take too long in the department store. From the top floor where all the woman's clothing was, she brought a few more small items that she had needed, simply taking the most of her surroundings in. It was nice to be alone sometimes, even being away from Anthony was a blessing sometimes.

It must have been half an hour before Molly found herself walking out of the department store, the handles of shopping bags all up her arms as she carried them towards where Anthony had parked the car. On her way out of the store, she had done as she said she would and had brought the beautiful fur coat she'd seen a few days previously.   
And so, with the hopes that the weather would stay colder just for a little longer so she could get the most use out of her new coat, Molly made her way back to the car.

Anthony smiled once he saw Molly approaching, holding out his hands to take her bags and put them in the back seat.  
"Got everythin' y' wanted?"  
He asked before shutting the door and opened the passenger's door for her to get in, not without glancing around them out of habit.

Molly smiled in her brother's direction, thanking him for putting her bags away as she got into the passenger side of the car, getting comfortable.  
"Yeah, I think so. Did ya get your paints?"   
Depending on how big Anthony wanted the painting of their mother to be, Molly knew that she would have to be helping him quite a bit in hiding it from their father, but it didn't matter, she always loved a challenge as much as the next person.

Clearing his throat, he nodded to the back seat for her to look at all of the things he got.  
"I probably got more than I really needed."  
He said before closing her door and went around to the driver's side and got in, starting the car up.  
"Oil paints, watercolor paints, brushes, one of those stand things, three-"  
He paused and looked back for a moment.  
"No, four canvases, two of those paint holder things y' see those fancy painters use. I think that's it but uh... let's just hope Gio and pops are busy or not home t' see all that when we bring it in."  
He said as he ran his fingers up through his hair as he started to carefully pull off into the street.

Setting her handbag down in her lap, Molly then turned over her shoulder to look at the backseat of the car, the woman nodding a couple of times at what she saw paired with Anthony's description of each.   
"Y' really went all out, huh? I can already tell the painting's gunna be beautiful. If they ain't busy, I'll just say it's all for me. They'll probably complain, but at least no one will get after ya for it." 

Anthony nodded. That was a really good idea that he hadn't thought about, claiming it all to be hers.

There were a few more moments of silence as they began to drive back in the direction of their home, Molly gazing out the window when she suddenly had a thought.   
"Oh yeah, if I can't come to pick up my dresses on Friday, will you for me? I said back there that 'cha would, so I wanted t' check."

"Y' know I will, Doll face. But even if y' can't, I'm gunna make sure y' get there t' pick it all up yourself. We gotta make sure it all fits ya now, don't we?"

He glanced at her and gave her a wink and a smile.

Molly's eyes narrowed a little at that, watching both the wink and the smile.   
"What's that suppose' t' mean? Yeah, I gotta make sure it fits."   
She paused again, the smallest of sighs escaping her lips.   
"But thanks. I _would_ really like t' be there to pick everythin' up."

"It was meant as an 'I'll get 'cha there one way or another'. Even if I gotta sneak ya out and steal a motorcar."  
He clarified, but also meant it as a 'I know you want to see her again', but he wasn't about to say that.

"I know y' don't get out much so that bit of interaction y' had musta been real nice. Livin' with men your whole life ain't always great and I acknowledge that."

Molly did chuckle a little at that, shaking her head with a smile before yet another sigh left her lips. She figured she had to clarify this with Anthony before they were home.  
"Look, Tony. I don't even have any woman as friends. We don't have friends. If me talkin' with that seamstress seemed odd to ya, then I'm sorry. I didn't _mean_ for it t' look the way that 'cha obviously are thinkin'. I ain't like that."

"Hey, even if ya were I wouldn't care. As long as you're happy and safe, even though that sorta lifestyle ain't exactly safe, I'd still support ya. Y' don't gotta go apologizin' for nothin'."  
Anthony said as he made as much eye contact with her as he could without crashing the car.  
"I don't even know how women act around other women, honestly. That coulda been normal for all either of us know. But I'm just sayin' that if y' did _swing_ that way, I ain't gunna hold that against ya."  
He wanted to add to it but he felt like it would be too much for her, especially since he didn't exactly know her official standing on that sort of thing.

It was the small talks like these, the ones where neither their older brother nor their father was around to listen, that Molly appreciated the most. Sometimes it was her giving Anthony the supposed 'wise' advice, other times it was him offering her advice, and sometimes it was a bit of both. Either way, it made Molly feel better.

"It's a wonder why your opinion on that sorta stuff is so... strange. I know Papa and Gio ain't thinkin' the same way as you."   
She huffed with a small chuckle, turning to gaze out the window now, the scenery becoming more memorable as they neared their home.

"I appreciate ya words, Tony, really, I do. And even if I did intend to act _that_ way around that woman, it means nothin' and it's not even right of me. If you're a woman, y' can't live ya life without a man. That's just life, Tony."  
Did Molly feel guilty for something she wasn't even sure she should be guilty of? Of course. This was all something that she didn't understand, and it was simply easier to not think about it too much. Friday would roll around and she would simply pick up her dresses. End of story.

"Yeah, well, I'm just puttin' it out there. Besides. I know one woman who raised her son without the help of a man. Can't remember how old he was when his dad died or somethin' but he was pretty darn young."  
He replied with a shrug.  
"She's one helluva woman."

Molly couldn't help but smile at that, a wide grin crossing her face.   
"Well, at least there are _some_ women out there doin' well for themselves without a man. And now that we can vote and all, I can see the future bein' pretty bright, y' know? I know Papa doesn't agree with it all, but he doesn't know what it's like."

"Oh shoot, forgot y' could do that now. Geez, I've been so caught up in other things. But hey, all the more power t' ya. Just one step closer t' more freedom."  
Anthony nodded with a smile. He knew that Molly had actually attended protests to gain that right without Giovanni or their father knowing about it, and he was honestly proud of her for it; being a big part of history and helping make a difference for the better.

As they arrived back to the estate, they brought everything in through the back door, and, luckily enough, Giovanni and their father were still busy. They brought everything up and found a spot to hide everything, keeping it all in Molly's room just in case.   
After that, Anthony went back to his own room and started writing his reply to Alastor, going to get to starting his new hobby later on when he was sure he wouldn't get caught.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Birthday in the server!! (Sorry it's probably not the greatest chapter to celebrate a birthday-)  
> ~Murder somewhere close to the end and mentions of r*pe~

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Monday, March 28th, 1921  
New Orleans  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

In the weeks in between letters, nothing too eventful had happened in New Orleans on Alastor's side. During the weekdays, he went to work and on the weekends he was either hunting or tending to his growing herbs and garden up the bayou.   
His mother had been having more and more time off lately, especially when he was out at work.   
While that would have usually made him wonder if something was wrong, his mother being such a workaholic, he understood that if his mother _had_ anything wrong, she would come to him or he would at least sense that something was amiss.

On the morning of March twenty-eighth, Alastor was up early as per usual. He was sat at the breakfast table, his mother up early too for her morning shift at the hospital, the two of them eating the first meal of the day in a comfortable sort of silence. The post still had yet to come, and if Alastor had calculated correctly, then within the next few days, he would be hopefully expecting a letter from Anthony.

Amélie simply wasn't feeling well that morning, seeming to be eating less and less even though she was getting hungrier.   
Picking at her food slowly, she stayed silent.   
Something was off and she knew it. She had yet to find someone she knew she could trust that would keep her secrets and thus keep her reputation clear.

Standing as he finished his own breakfast, Alastor looked across at his mother, noticing she hadn't eaten very much of her food.   
"If you're working this morning, you'll need that."   
He pointed out, moving towards the kitchen. Once there, he looked out the window and spotted the unmissable postman.   
This particularly got his attention since he hoped that a letter from Anthony was waiting.

Moving back through the dining room toward the hall, as he passed his mother who was still sat at the table, he called out to her.   
"Mail's here!"

Amélie looked up and immediately gathered her skirt, dismissing herself from the table and moved to the door with a bit of a smile.  
"I hope Anthony liked the ink."  
She said to her son as she opened the door and stepped out just as the postman was leaving and onto the next house.

Not bothering with shoes, she made her way to the mailbox that stood just at the end of the short walkway and grabbed the mail that was within the mailbox.  
Very few pieces but as expected, Anthony's reply was among them.   
Rushing back into the house, she immediately passed the letter off to Alastor with a wide smile.  
"Here you are, my dear!"

Alastor kept their door open for his mother as she fetched the mail, his smile only widening all the more at the news that Anthony's letter in fact _had_ arrived.   
"Ah, excellent!"   
He cheered, taking the mail from Amélie with a nod of his head.   
"I shall read this hastily and then will be off to work!"   
He grinned, closing the door behind his mother as she made her way back inside.

With a nod, the woman decided to sit back at the table and at least _try_ to finish her breakfast before she was off to work as well.   
"Do tell me what it says."  
She smiled, her spirits immediately lifted now with an almost restored sense of hope that the day would be a good one.

Immediately moving towards the stairs, having a place in his desk drawer where he kept Anthony's letters, Alastor took a seat at his desk and took out a letter opener from another one of the drawers.   
"Right..."   
He muttered to himself, neatly opening the letter and taking out the paper that was inside, unfolding it, noting the separate slip of paper that fell from the inside of the folded letter and into his lap.   
Upon inspection, it seemed to be the recipe for the pasta dish Anthony had made for them all that time ago now.   
  


_March 14th, 1921_   
_Dearest Alastor,_

_Thank you for the ink. As you can see, I've started to make good use of it already. The colors are beautiful and I look forward to learning how to make some myself the next time I visit._   
_I think my sister might be mildly suspicious, but it's mutual now since we went out today. She had an encounter with a seamstress this morning and I could have sworn she gave that woman looks that you would only ever catch a woman look at a man._   
_That's not entirely important now though, I suppose._

_The anniversary of mom's death is quickly approaching. You should be receiving this letter close to it. March 30th if you were wondering about the exact date. My dad seems to be less and less himself the closer the day comes, so Molly and I decided to get some paints so I can hopefully recreate the only family portrait we have with my mom, dad, and us 3 kids before she passed; or perhaps just a portrait of her. Dad isn't going to know it was me who painted it though, considering his opinion on the subject, but I hope he will like it and keep it. We don't have anything of our mother outside of the safely kept photo albums dad hoards._

_With the paint I've gotten, you can expect to have some new artwork coming your way along with your letters. Do what you want with them, of course, there might be a lot and I don't expect you to like them all or find a place for them either._

_Speaking of moms, I hope yours is alright. You mentioned she wasn't well in your last letter. If it's an upset stomach, you could try white rice and lemon. It's an Italian secret passed down from Nonna and works wonders. Another "strange" thing we have for colds is adding different herbs to tea for added enhancements._

_Adding thyme will soothe a sore throat and helps with coughs._   
_Sage will help with sore throats too but also help with mouth inflammation of any kind._   
_Mint will also help with a sore throat and help with a congested nose and ease a dry cough._   
_Rosemary helps with sore muscles and boosts the immune system._   
_Adding honey is always a nice addition too._   
_Crushing and eating a clove of raw garlic helps with congestion as well. It's awful sometimes, but I swear it's the best thing for that._

_Some of these you may have already known because you work with herbs and such almost daily, but if you need any other things that work for different things, I'll be happy to give recommendations and share some of our Nonna's secrets._

_I really hope she's doing better now though._

_If you ever have time and find the ability to, we can perhaps set up a date we can have a phone call. Of course, that will be mildly difficult considering our possibly clashing schedules and your lack of line. I would like to refresh my memory of what your voice is like, even if the device distorts the sound. Just hearing you will raise my spirits even a little._

_I suppose that will be all this time._

_Sincerely yours,_   
_Anthony Ragnatela._

Alastor wasn't sure if his grin could get any wider as he read the final words of the letter and the pasta recipe that was separate from it.   
Quickly glancing to the clock that was in his room though, he took note of the time, carefully putting the letter back in its envelope and away in his desk drawer, leaving the recipe out on top of his desk.   
He would write a response later on.  
  
  


It was later that evening that Rosie was in the kitchen, preparing for dinner when she and her daughter heard a knock at the door.  
Looking between themselves for a moment, Rosie set her knife down and wiped her hands before answering the door.

"Ah, Alastor, what a pleasant surprise!"   
She exclaimed with a smile, stepping aside to let the man in.  
"Will you be joining us for dinner this evening?"

Alastor had finished work at the butcher's not too long ago, and knowing that his mother wasn't going to be home until late, having a long shift this evening, he had decided to speak to Rosie. Especially after having read Anthony's letter earlier, something that he'd been thinking about all day.

As the familiar door opened in front of his face, Alastor smiled wide, nodding as he stepped into the home.   
"Why Rosie, yes, I think I will! I thought I'd stop by and give you the company this fine evening!"

Rosie nodded, about to speak before Madeline came bounding out of the kitchen and towards the man.

"Alastor! I'm so happy to see you!"  
The girl practically shrieked, almost ready to launch herself at him but was stopped as her mother held an arm out to block the path.

"Now now, Maddie, I didn't raise any wild animals without class, did I?"  
She scolded as the girl came to an abrupt halt and quickly adjusted her shirt.

"No, mama, I'm sorry."  
Madeline said, lowering her head in an apologetic manner.

Alastor had to take a slight step back as Madeline suddenly came practically charging towards him, the man clearing his throat slightly as Rosie scolded her daughter.   
"Nice to see you too, Maddie."   
He continued, turning back to Rosie and raising his chin.  
"Anything particular for dinner this evening?"

The woman gave Madeline a sort of look that sent the girl back to the kitchen right away before she was able to turn to Alastor with the smile returning to her face.  
"Just red beans and rice tonight, nothing extreme."  
She said as she made her way back to the kitchen.  
"I would have liked to have steak, but unfortunately, neither of us made it to the shop in time."  
She explained as she picked up her knife again, slicing the vegetables while Madeline was working away at washing the rice.  
"And how is your friend from up north? Have you been writing to him?"  
Rosie asked, very curious on that front.

Alastor nodded with his usual grin, following Rosie through the home and into the kitchen, standing in the doorway.   
"Anthony? Yes, we have been writing to each other fairly frequently."   
He smiled, trying not to sound _too_ excited about it given Madeline's presence.   
"There are actually a few things I must discuss with you, Rosie, regarding that."   
He understood that she was curious, however again, there were things he wished to discuss with her when Madeline wasn't around.

Rosie's curiosity seemed to raise all the more, wondering what it was he wanted to discuss. She had no business in the letters that he and Anthony wrote to each other but she certainly wasn't going to complain. Knowledge was power, after all.

"Now, is there perhaps anything you wish for me to help you both with? I am quite skilled with a knife you know. I could take over the vegetables?"

"Well, I think everything is well underway as it stands. While the rice is cooking, Madeline, I'd like you to go upstairs until everything is ready so Alastor and I can have our discussion."  
Rosie hummed as her daughter gave a nod, putting the rice into the pot, filled it with the correct amount of water, and put it onto the stove.

"I'll be upstairs now then."  
Madeline said as she made her way out of the kitchen and up the stairs after flashing Alastor a smile.

He gave the girl a small nod as he watched her leaving the room, waiting until he couldn't hear her footsteps anymore before moving further into the kitchen and leaning against one of the counters slightly. 

Rosie looked to the man as she started putting the sliced sausage into a pan to begin cooking.  
"Now then. What's been happening?"  
She asked.

"Well, as you know, Anthony and I have been communicating as frequently as we can. It takes two weeks for letters to travel between us unfortunately."   
Alastor began, arms folding in front of his chest.   
"I received a letter from him this morning and he brought up the suggestion of perhaps contacting me through the telephone at some point. So I was simply wondering, given the fact that you are aware of Anthony and me, if I would be able to use your phone line when Anthony occasionally calls."

Rosie raised a brow slightly.  
"You know you're welcome to anything here, Alastor. If you'd like to use the telephone, you know you're more than welcome to. If no one is home when you've scheduled a call, you know where the spare key is located."  
She replied.

Alastor nodded at her reply, pushing off from the counter and beginning to stride around the room slightly.   
"Yes, thank you, Rosie. Why, I can always count on you, haha!"

"You are aware that this raises more questions for me, correct? One of which being... are you becoming more in tune with your infatuation? Or are you still trying to sort yourself out?"

There was a brief pause, Alastor's eyes narrowing, however, it was something that he already had an answer to, fortunately.

"I... can recognize the fact that I am indeed intrigued by Anthony. But Rosie darling, it is still nothing more than mere infatuation and I have already stated that to Anthony in my first letter to him. As entertaining as I'm sure you'd find it, the premise of me being in _love_ with someone, and no less a man, that is not the case."

The woman gave a small chuckle and nodded.  
"Yes, of course. I would never think of you to jump into something headfirst, especially when it dealt with matters such as these. Don't be afraid to admit anything though. Holding things back from yourself is only self-sabotage and will only cause you more stress."  
She hummed as she stirred the sausage in the pan. 

Self-sabotage was something that the woman had been bringing up more and more frequently, and it really did make Alastor wonder. He had no time for anyone to be sabotaging him in any way, not even himself, and no matter the context. That and stress.

"How is he, anyway? Surely there have been clues as to how his home life has been since arriving back to familiar surroundings."  
She decided to pry a bit, always finding Anthony to be an interesting topic regardless of the time of day.

"I do believe Anthony is well. It was per his request that we never bring up his family's line of work, and I think you may have been quite right regarding a sort of 'initiation' into his family. He said he's now a new man and can no longer speak about his business with anyone outside of it. Of course, I understand and won't press him for answers... for now."   
A small smirk lit up the man's face at that before he decided to move on once again.

"There was an awfully interesting point that he brought to light in his most recent letter though. Of course, it was theoretical, but it piqued my interest nonetheless. He mentioned his twin sister having an encounter with a seamstress and supposedly giving her a look that would only usually be given to a man of interest. What do you make of that, hm? Quite the bizarre world we live in, is it not?"   
Of course, Alastor had only heard of Anthony's sister from Anthony himself. He'd never met, spoken to, or even seen a photograph of the woman, so he could make no presumptions of his own really.

Rosie paused, her eyes moving up from her cooking for a moment in almost a thoughtful sort of way.  
"Hm... I suppose it might make sense if _both_ of them were. Perhaps while still in the womb, somehow they took each other's natural attractions; Anthony taking her attraction to men and her taking his attraction to women."  
She hummed, her voice becoming somewhat quiet.   
Rosie couldn't see herself ever speaking of her opinion or experiences when it came to a woman finding an attraction to another woman, but the topic did hit her a certain way; bringing a few memories back to her that were often lost due to a mutual agreement, as well as something that had come up in the recent week.

"I wouldn't go so far as to say it would be a birth defect, however, it certainly is odd if it is the case, but it does somewhat make sense too."   
In that brief moment on Rosie's part, of course, Alastor caught it, his vision honing in on her slight hesitation as she paused her cooking. He didn't know whether it was intentional or not, but he thought that sometimes she didn't think he could read people as well as she thought.

"I can certainly see it causing issues if it _is_ the case. Especially within a family such as theirs."   
Alastor continued on.

"It causes issues no matter your family, but yes, Anthony's would be all the more difficult considering the fact that they have the means of getting away with murder in broad daylight. Near-complete immunity."  
She replied with a nod, looking back down at the pan for a moment before grabbing the bowl of already cut mix of vegetables and beans and added them into the pan before checking the rice.  
She fell silent once again, clearly an odd change to her usual talkative nature; always having at least _something_ to say for just about every topic.

"And what has your sudden silence got to do with all of this, hm?"   
Alastor suddenly asked, practically being able to see the cogs turning in Rosie's brain as she shifted tasks for a moment.   
"Regardless, if my stance on my infatuation with Anthony ever changed to something more, I understand that it would be both impractical and impossibly difficult for any sort of relationship to be upheld. Given both our distance and circumstance."

Rosie simply shook her head and smiled, looking to Alastor.  
"Things are likely better for you both this way. I may know more about this sort of thing than you think."  
She said simply before stirring the vegetables and sausage again with a small hum, immediately trying to move on from the topic.  
"It's almost ready. Get the dishes for me, would you?"

Moving across the kitchen to where he knew the plates where kept, Alastor reached up to the cupboard. However, this topic seemed to only deepen his curiosities.   
"You do, do you? Why, I don't think I've recalled you mentioning anything of the sort. Now you have piqued my interest, Rosie dear."

"Well, that's quite unfortunate, isn't it."  
She said as a smile started pulling at her lips that was almost forced.  
"I'm afraid you're going to remain in the dark when it comes to my past; as will everyone else."

Bringing the dishes down, Alastor laid them out for the woman to plate up the food, his eyes still narrowed slightly. He could respect that everyone had secrets that would never be known, but now that someone such as Rosie had let him have even the smallest peek into what might be a secret? He wanted to know more. It couldn't be helped.   
"I know a lot more than other people know about you."   
Alastor continued.

"Yes, but this is something I'm not willing to discuss. It's that simple, my dear."  
The woman said as she started to plate the rice.

"Well, suit yourself."   
With that, Alastor thought it best to drop the subject for now, simply helping her serve the food up and bring the plates into the dining room, Madeline coming down shortly after Rosie had called for her.

Once the three of them had sat down and begun eating, Madeline looked to her mother, seeing that she wasn't wearing her usual smile. Not even a hint of it.  
"Mama, is everything alright?"  
She asked softly.  
"You've been acting strange since you received that letter last week."

Rosie kept her eyes on her bowl but raised her brows in acknowledgment.  
"Yes dear, everything is just fine."  
She replied simply before changing the subject again.  
"Alastor, has Anthony sent you any more of his work? If so, I'd very much like to see it the next time we meet."

Immediately Alastor looked up at the mention of Rosie having received a letter the previous week, a brow raising of his own.   
However, as the topic was quickly changed, he decided to store that information away for a bit later.

"He did mention sending something soon. But yes, if anything does arrive, I will be sure to show you."   
He nodded, looking to Madeline for a moment.   
"How have you been, Maddie, hm?"

Madeline turned her attention to the man once she was questioned now, straightening her back.  
"Oh, I'm quite well, thank you. How are you and your mother doing?"  
She smiled softly.

Alastor raised his chin slightly, eyes narrowing again as he looked to the young woman.   
"We are fine thank you. I know your mother here made this wonderful meal this evening, tell me, she isn't overworking herself, hm? I know Rosalie wouldn't tell me if she was, or if there was anything _else_ wrong. Perhaps you could give me some insight, given your mother's stubbornness."

Rosie's eyes found their way to the man, narrowing as her full name was used.  
"Alastor."  
She warned.  
She wasn't sure why he was asking her daughter of all people. Madeline was the _last_ person on planet earth she would tell anything to.

Madeline looked at her mother for a moment and then to her love interest.  
"I assure you, mama is doing fine as far as I know."  
She said with a small nod.

It was as soon as Madeline opened her mouth that Alastor realized this was a lost cause, she didn't know or have anything useful to say and he was quite foolish to think that Rosie would tell her daughter anything. He simply wanted to know if there was even an ounce of a chance that she did. Which she clearly didn't.   
"Thank you, Maddie."   
Alastor smiled widely, trialing off and returning to the meal as he took another bite.

Rosie soon spoke up, however.  
"Alastor, how would you like to take a jaunt with me this evening?"  
She asked. The air would probably do her some good if she were honest.

Madeline looked up between the two for a moment, always wishing she could join them but knew from past experiences that she wouldn't be wanted. Of course, the girl was suspicious of this but did her best not to think anything of it, giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Alastor too looked up and over to Rosie, pausing for a few moments before nodding.   
"Why yes, I do think that would be fitting for such pleasant evening like this."   
He agreed, presuming that they would simply be walking around the area. Perhaps Rosie would give him insight into this speculated 'secret' of hers, or maybe she simply wanted the company.

With a nod and small smile, Rosie fell silent once again. The rest of the meal holding silence for the remainder. 

Madeline was the first to finish, bringing all of the dishes to the sink with a smile, clearly wanting to impress Alastor by showing him how good of a housewife she would be.  
"You two go ahead. I'll do the cleaning myself tonight."

Rosie recognized her efforts but wasn't about to complain. Madeline wasn't throwing herself at the poor man, making herself useful instead, and she knew that Alastor wasn't about to fall for such an attempt.  
"Much appreciated, dear. I'm not sure how long we'll be, so do get some rest when you see fit."  
The woman nodded.

Alastor would have offered to help with the dishes, however, it seemed that Rosie was quite eager to head out on their evening walk so he simply thanked Madeline as she took care of them.  
Standing from the table after thanking the two of them for the food, he looked back to Rosie.   
"Anywhere particular you had planned on walking?"   
He asked, the two of them making their way out of the dining room and into the hallway.

"Yes, there was one place."  
Rosie said as she made her way up the stairs.  
"I'll be along shortly. I just have to grab something."  
She said, only being a few short minutes before joining Alastor back downstairs and making her way to the door.

While he waited for Rosie to return, he fixed his tie and hair a little, having forgotten his hat that morning, so he didn't have to worry about putting one on to leave Rosie's home. When she did return, the man was already waiting, the door ajar slightly before he opened it for both of them to leave.

With a hum, the woman put her shoes on and smoothed her skirt. Nothing was of a notable difference aside from a few touches to her hair.  
She put a light coat on and put a few things in her pockets discreetly before stepping outside. It wasn't cold by any means, but what she had planned for that evening required a few items she carried to remain hidden.

When they stepped out onto the street, Alastor closing the door for Rosie and then offering his arm, Alastor spoke up again.   
"And where might we be going this evening?"

"A wonderful night. I just hope there's a certain kind of people out and about today. Not many go out on a Monday evening."

She hummed and took his arm as they walked, ignoring the question. He would see soon enough and hopefully catch on.

Alastor nodded, becoming somewhat curious over Rosie's choice of words, however knowing there was no use in asking. If Rosie _did_ have plans, she was usually one to keep them from him until they happened.   
"Not many go out, you're right, however, perhaps it's simply this part of the city. I hear that further along the people are more so night owls."

"Oh, now we don't want _too_ many people out. Just a select few that we can eventually single one out and lead astray."  
She smiled, glancing around with only her eyes.   
"Perhaps down by the river."  
She added.

Almost immediately were lightbulbs lighting up in Alastor's mind, Rosie's vagueness in regards to the purpose of their walk making sense now, and he wasn't going to complain one bit.

"Why _Rosie_ , if I didn't know better, then I would have every right to presume that you were singling some poor person out like a lamb for slaughter?"   
Alastor finally acknowledged, his eyes narrowed, grin sly.   
"It's been too long since you've put on a show, Rosie darling. I _do_ hope it's a good one to end the evening with a bang."

Rosie's smile grew a bit, glad that he had caught on.  
"Of course. Has there ever been a time that I've let my audience down? It's about time I take the spotlight once more. Even just for one night."  
She replied.

"Well then Rosie, entertain me."   
Alastor chuckled a little, falling silent once more, however glancing around the streets occasionally with a new purpose now.

Quite a few minutes passed until eventually, they rounded a particular street corner and the verdict? The unmistakable outline of a drunk man stumbling along the sidewalk, using a hand to steady himself against a line of houses. 

"Why, is that man not a walking criminal?"   
Alastor calmly announced, not pointing to the man since he was certain that Rosie already had her eyes on him.   
"Drunk on a Monday evening no less. How _foolish_ , haha!"

"Quite pathetic, if you ask me."  
Rosie chimed almost cheerfully.   
"Conveniently placed as well. It makes my job quite easy."  
She smiled as she crossed the street to put a bit of distance between herself and Alastor so she would look like she was alone that evening.

Pulling out a pair of leather gloves from her coat pocket, the woman put them on and slid her weapon of choice up her sleeve. Alastor had his pocket knife and Rosie had her beautiful prized horn-handled dagger.

Once far enough away and placed where she wanted to be, the woman slunk into the shadows of an alley between two tall-standing buildings before clearing her throat in hopes of gaining the drunkard's attention.

Alastor watched discreetly from across the road, knowing he was going to be greatly entertained that evening.

The stumbling drunk, as he slowly made his way down the street slowly came to a halt outside the alleyway where Rosie was methodically placed.

"Are you in need of help?"  
The woman asked.  
"You seem quite unstable."

"I don't need some broad's help."  
The man slurred, forcing himself to stand up straight and puff his chest out to appear superior.  
"Ya look mighty fine though... maybe ya could help me in some _other_ way."  
He said as a smirk started pulling at his tired and sunken features.

Rosie, the calm and controlled woman she was, played innocent as to draw the man closer.  
"Oh? How can I help?"

The man started to stumble towards her, his grin seeming to grow.  
"C'mere and I'll show ya, sweetheart."

Rosie backed further into the alley where the shadows embraced her figure as she lured her prey.  
"Please, stay back."  
She said in a convincing tone.

"I'm not gunna hurt ya, darlin'. C'mere."  
The man continued as he proceeded to pin the woman against the wall, leaning into her neck.

Rosie continued to play the victim, making sure this man thought that he was safe and about to get what he wanted from her as she let the dagger slowly fall from her sleeve and into her hand, waiting just a few more moments.

"Please, I only wanted to help you get to a safe place."  
She managed to say before the man brought a hand up to cover her mouth.  
It was then that she gripped the weapon tightly and drove it into the man's fleshy gut as he let out a grunt of shock.  
Rosie slowly started pushing the man back against the opposite wall with the blade deep in his abdomen, her smile growing as the drunkard's hand squeezed her cheeks before coming down off of her face.

"What's the matter? You don't want to play with me anymore?"  
The woman asked with a hint of sadistic pleasure in her hushed voice, removing the blade and drove it in again.

The man hunched forward as he was stabbed again and again, the pained noises quieting as Rosie put her own hand over his mouth now as he bled out.  
"I wish you well, my dear. You've played your part beautifully."  
She whispered as the man slowly sunk down to the ground once the blade was removed for the final time.  
Normally, she would have dragged it out a little longer, but her needs were too great tonight, almost in desperation.

Alastor was very much there watching silently, his dangerous grin shining away with much malignant malice as he chuckled quietly to himself, knowing by the drunk's body language, even from behind, when the knife was first plunged into his body, and when it was driven in again and again. Certainly a bloodlust driven masterpiece on Rosie's part. Brutal perfection. An excellent performance by all means even though it was shortlived.

Bringing his hands together in slow applause, Alasror began to walk along the alleyway, reaching into his breast pocket and pulling out a handkerchief before handing it across to Rosie to clean her dagger with.   
"What a performance."   
Alastor spoke with pride, chin raising smugly as he grinned down at the slumped and bleeding body on the ground.

Rosie took a few breaths as she stood over the quietly grunting man. They were always quieter when drunk, which was always nice when they were in one of the main stretches of the city.

She didn't flinch at the applause, having expected it actually, simply turning to Alastor with a smile.  
"Thank you, you're too kind."  
She replied as she took a bow.

Straightening up again, she took the handkerchief offered to her and started wiping her blade clean.  
"This one wasn't the most fun, but it'll have to do."  
She sighed as she looked over her dagger, sheathing it once she was satisfied with the level of cleanliness.

As Rosie handed the handkerchief back, Alastor nearly folded it back up again and put it back in his pocket, turning to the woman now once more.   
"And was there perhaps a reason you decided to do this tonight?"   
He then asked, turning on his heels away from the body and starting to head out of the alleyway.   
"As much as I admire you in this sense, everything you do has a reason, Rosie dear."

"Yes, there's always a method to my madness. However, tonight is just to let off some steam, I suppose."  
The woman hummed, leaning down to cover the victim's wounds with his coat to make it look as his he'd simply passed out drunk there before following Alastor out into the street again.

While Alastor could believe that, he also had a feeling that there was something _more_ than simply her letting off steam. Of course, there would be a reason behind the said steam.   
"Well then, now that you've done that, I suppose you will be wanting to head back before anyone finds that man, hm? Although, I hardly doubt he will be found until morning."

"I'd like to walk around a little longer if you wouldn't mind. There might be another one lurking about."  
Rosie said simply as they continued their walk as if nothing had happened.

"Yes, quite right. You never know what your luck might bring to you."   
Alastor nodded at that, holding his arm out for Rosie once again as they continued on their way, making light conversation between them as they made their way through the streets.

Their spree was uneventful from that point on, but that didn't seem to bother Rosie much. She got one and it was important to keep herself from getting too greedy.  
Unfortunately, though, she still had the itch.  
"Have you and Anthony made any promises to each other?"  
She decided to ask after a few moments of silence.

Alastor raised a brow at the sudden question, not quite expecting that.   
"Promises you say? Why no, I don't believe we have. I know that he promised to return, but I don't believe that _I_ have promised _him_ anything. You know how I feel about those sorts of things."   
Alastor replied honestly, the two of them turning around and beginning to head back in the direction of Rosie's home.

The woman gave a nod.  
"Good."  
She said simply, her smile falling a little for a split second before it came back to its usual fullness.  
"Never make promises that you aren't one hundred percent positive you can keep. It saves you mounds of disappointment."

And at that, Alastor suddenly stopped, giving her a slight look paired with narrowed and suspicious eyes.   
"You're acting quite strange this evening, Rosie. Talking about secrets, promises, and 'letting off steam' without an apparent reason. It's unlike you."   
He pressed, clearing his throat and raising his chin.   
"Would you _now_ care to explain to me why that is? I have every right to be concerned, you know."

Rosie really _did_ want to talk about this matter with someone despite how badly she wanted to keep it all buried, but because she was always there for Alastor to talk to, she knew she could trust him as well, especially now they had yet another thing in common.

Taking a breath, she kept her eyes forward.  
"Before my late husband came along, I found myself in quite a similar situation to you are in now."  
She began.

Alastor watched Rosie closely, his expression completely unreadable as she finally began to unveil what was troubling her. He understood what she meant, of course.   
"You mean to say that you were engaging with another woman?"   
Alastor thought he'd clarify, more so to hear a 'yes' coming from the woman herself.

It didn't bother Alastor by any means, it simply surprised him, the man immediately having questions as it piqued his curiosity in many different ways.

"She was a wonderful woman that I seemed to fall desperately for without knowing why."  
She sighed, confirming his question.  
"I went to Chicago to visit some family who had migrated north. This was two years before Madeline."  
She breathed, keeping her eyes locked in front of her as she recalled the details.

Nodding slowly, Alastor once again began to start to walk again, still holding Rosie's arm as she explained this to him.   
"I'm presuming this is before you and Victor met too?"   
He understood that talk of her late husband was something that Rosie herself rarely indulged in, however, if he wanted to gain an understanding of this past situation, he would have to mention the man.

"Yes, this was before Victor as well."  
She nodded.  
"During my time in Chicago, Mimzy and I would often get together, eventually doing just as you had with Anthony. She and I promised to write to each other and hoped to meet again after I returned home... but as time went on, I found that Victor and I were betrothed, and he demanded that I stop wasting my time with such nonsense, not knowing about the secret relationship, of course."

Mimzy. Alastor had never heard the name being mentioned by Rosie before, but as the woman told the story, he began to understand why.

"I was about to run away and head back up north, but my parents caught me and brought me home. Forced premarital retaliations took place in hopes that it would set me in place... and with that, Madeline come to be and I wasn't able to go anywhere with that burden. I kept Madeline a secret until my sixth month of pregnancy. Even then, Victor had been away on business and I had to give birth without him present. I was nearly nineteen at the time she was born, and still unmarried."  
She huffed, her voice almost shaking.  
"Victor and I married immediately upon his return and I wrote Mimzy one last time explaining everything that had happened. She was terribly hurt and we lost contact, causing me to spiral out of control and take my husband's life. I hadn't heard from her since... until this week when I received a letter. She's no longer amongst the living... and I'm left with nothing but more pain and regret than what I had started with..."

An unfortunate string of events that followed a young and irrational budding romance. That was precisely what _Alastor_ feared for himself and for Anthony.   
Nonetheless, to see Rosie in such a vulnerable state, her unwavering and firm resolve crumbling for a split second as she _let_ herself become vulnerable, her voice even shaking. It was as terrifying as it was both foreign and worrying.   
This was a story that Alastor knew parts of, Rosie's young betrothal to Victor, the untimely birth of Madeline and her taking her husband's life, but to have the full picture finally both painted _and_ framed? It was perfect and it made sense.

Pausing once more in the street, Alastor turned properly towards the woman with an exceedingly rare sort of smile. Understanding.   
"Rosie my dear, you always tell me everything happens for a reason, and I have every reason to believe that this is one of those scenarios. I am sorry to hear of Mimzy's passing, but you should not continue to uphold your regrets. There was nothing you could do at the time and certainly not now."

As they came to a stop, Rosie was brought back to the present. Quickly blinking away the pools of tears that managed to form and cleared her throat.

"Yes, I tell you a lot of things that I should be taking into account myself. So, I'm going to do the rational thing and listen to my own advice."  
Even though she would have given _anything_ to see Mimzy again just once more. She loved that woman and wished she could have died knowing it.

"It is always very good advice and would be wise to follow it, even if it is easier said than done."

Putting a strong face back on, Rosie took a breath and finally looked to Alastor with a small smile.  
"Come along. I'm sure you'd like to write back to Anthony as soon as possible."

Alastor nodded once more, offering his arm to Rosie as they continued on their walk. It was definitely strange seeing the woman in such a state, however, the only thing he could offer was her own advice. As ironic as that was.

"Yes, I would like to write back to him before I go to sleep tonight. I plan to send it first thing tomorrow."


	32. Chapter 32

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Tuesday, March 29th, 1921  
New York City  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

It had been two weeks since Molly and Anthony's little shopping trip to the city center. In the fourteen days that had passed, Molly's life at least had been... really eventful.   
Just as was scheduled, Friday two weeks ago, Molly herself had made it back into the dress shop to pick up her order.   
On that day, Molly was properly introduced to Nancy Fischer- the seamstress from the store. Not only did she give Molly her ordered clothing, but she gave her name, and to Molly? That meant everything.

Over the two weeks, it would have been an understatement to say that she had snuck out once, or even twice. It had happened more times than she would have liked to admit, and every time she found herself back at the dress store, standing against the counter of the shop making light conversation with Nancy while she worked.   
It was nice to have a friend, and once again, Molly would have been lying if she said she didn't like the company.

However, it was two days ago that things changed a little. Molly had snuck in through the back door of the Ragnatela household with an exceedingly wide smile of joy on her face and singular slip of paper firmly in her grip. On the paper, it said not only Nancy's name but her address and date for three days' time. It was a sort of informal invitation over to the seamstress's home, something that the woman had said would just be a small get together for the two of them.

Two days from then and Molly was in the designated 'art' room worrying about how she was going to ask Anthony to get her over to Nancy's house. Anthony had been watching over Molly all day per their father's request since he and Giovanni had been out on a job since early that morning, and for the majority of the day, the two of them had been up in the art room, Anthony working on the painting, occasionally using his sister for reference when needed.

Of course, with this being the case, Anthony was feeling like the month and a half after his initiation, nothing had really changed from before. He was still doing everything exactly as he was beforehand, so he was beginning to question whether signing his life away was really even worth it.

In those two weeks, however, he had made some good progress with the painting. He kept everything in a room that wasn't in use, Molly claiming that she wanted to try just so it gave the excuse to have the supplies in the first place.   
He made sure to only paint when he knew the two other men of the house were out working or at the very least he made sure his sister was with him so that if they happened to come in, Anthony would hand the paints off to her and she would act as if she were the one doing it. Of course, with her history of trying different hobbies for periods of time, they bought it.   
Molly had been enjoying watching Anthony painting, in her eyes, he was endlessly talented at it.

Now, he could feel his twin's nervous energy. It could have been a twin thing, or maybe it was just obvious to everyone.

"So, ah, y' got somethin' y' wanna tell me? Y' seem different t'day."  
Anthony finally spoke as he looked over at Molly before dipping his brush in the paint. It was so close to finished and he was really happy with how it was turning out despite this one being the third attempt. It was coming along and he was extremely proud of himself.

Sitting in a chair that was placed by the window, chin resting in her palm, Molly sighed to herself, blowing a piece of stray hair in front of her face away as she did so.   
"What?"   
She quietly mumbled, eyes glancing across to Anthony at the easel.   
"Nothin'. I'm as I always am. Just tired."

Anthony sighed, glancing down at the photo reference for a moment and then at the canvas again.  
"You're real quiet t'day. Didn't y' sleep well last night? Or is it somethin' else entirely?"  
He questioned.

Usually, while they were together they would make conversation, so with Molly being so quiet and almost absent from the present moment, he was naturally going to be at least a little worried.

Molly hummed in thought for a moment, eyes looking up at the ceiling before returning to her brother.   
"Alright."   
She knew that she could trust him of all people with this.   
"Y' gotta help me out tomorrow night."   
The woman began, leaning back slightly.   
"I'm goin' out and I need you to help me with that."

"Alright?"  
He began slowly.  
"Obviously you're gunna be meetin' your friend, that much I know, so where am I takin' ya to?"  
He asked with a bit of a hum as he slowly dragged the fine brush against the canvas, adding a few of the finer details now.  
"Better not be too early. We go see Ma in the mornin' t' afternoon."

Letting out yet another sigh, glad that Anthony had caught on quickly, Molly nodded.   
"Oh, applesauce... that's tomorrow, ain't it. Y' know what? It's fine. I'm goin' in the evenin' so I'll make up some excuse for goin' to bed early or somethin'."

She wasn't sure exactly what she would be doing at Nancy's house, she'd never been over another's home that wasn't family, so she supposed she would be staying the night, given that the invitation was for quite late.   
"I got the address written down. I think it's pretty far from here."

Anthony raised a brow and dipped his brush again.  
"What time are ya gunna head over? We could make the excuse that one of your dresses ain't fittin' right so we gotta go get it fixed."  
He suggested.

"Uh, Nance said seven, so I don't think that dress excuse is gunna work. Everything's closed by then."

"If it's real far, why don't we set up a time where I come t' pick ya up? I don't want ya walkin' home in the dark alone, assumin' you're gunna be a while. Or I could sit and wait for ya somewhere."

Molly shook her head. 

"Y' don't have to worry about waitin' anywhere for me. We can set up a time if ya _really_ want."

"Well, we could head out early if we wanted. I wanna pick up some more stuff anyway."  
He shrugged, biting the end of the brush as he thought it over.

"Yeah, I guess that's true."   
Slowly standing, Molly began to pace up and down the room, thinking about it all for a moment.

"She wouldn't happen t' have an automobile, would she? Probably not..."

"No motorcar." 

She was nervous even though it wasn't happening that evening. There was something about Nancy that had always made her somewhat nervous, yet she considered her a friend regardless.  
"We'll think of somethin'... how's the paintin' goin'?"

Anthony leaned back slightly on his stool, taking a breath.  
"Tedious, but good I think."  
He sighed, looking down at the image in the photo album. The original image was a four by six and the canvas was sixteen by twenty-four, so he was trying to hone in on as many details as he possibly could to have the painting look its best down to the last strand of hair and fiber of fabric.  
He knew this was only his first time really painting, but he wanted it to be perfect to honor their mother properly.

Walking over to the easel, Molly looked over her brother's shoulder, eyes narrowing before a soft smile took over her face.   
"It's wonderful Tony... it looks just like her."   
She just hoped with everything that she had that their father would think so too.

Anthony smiled a little and relaxed his shoulders, setting the palette down on the small side table that held the cup of brushes and a separate cup of water.  
"I think it's almost ready t' be presented."  
He said softly, scanning every detail to make sure everything looked okay.   
"We can give it t' dad in the mornin'. Since he thinks it's yours, he's probably gunna love it."  
He said as he looked out towards the window. It had been raining that day and looked like it was finally letting up. 

Placing a hand to Anthony's shoulder, Molly once again nodded, keeping her eyes on the beautiful painting of their mother.   
"I really wish that Papa could know it was yours and appreciate it for what it is, not who it's done by. He should know that I can't draw or paint t' save my life."   
It was upsetting, and while she desperately wanted their father to know of and appreciated Anthony's talent for art, she knew that wasn't happening any time soon.

"Hopefully t'morrow ain't gunna be so bad."

"I have a feelin' that tomorrow's gunna be a very good day."

Anthony gave a small smile and looked to his sister for a moment before looking back to the painting. He couldn't believe this was going to be the fifteenth year without her.   
"Y' think she'd be proud of us?"  
He asked after a few moments of silence. He had a feeling things would be drastically different if she were still around, but with how things were now, their mother wouldn't be happy, but proud of them for making things work with what they were given.

Molly could only smile, trying her hardest to dig up memories of their mother, despite there being only a few due to their age at the time.   
"She'd be more than proud, Tony. I just know it."  
There was a slight hint of sadness now behind her words as she spoke, wishing they could have known their mother longer than what little time they were given.   
"I know she loves us."

Nodding, Anthony slowly started packing up the paints and gathering everything that was going to need to be cleaned in the sink.   
"Y' want help makin' dinner? I don't think they're home yet so I ain't gunna get in trouble for it."  
He offered as he quickly checked his watch.

Helping her brother pack away some of the paints, carefully putting the painting itself away in a place where no one would see it if they were to walk into the room, Molly nodded.   
"Yeah, thanks. I dunno what I'm cookin' tonight. Guess we'll see what we have."

Anthony gave a small chuckle and shrugged.  
"You're always good at improvisin'."

Once everything was in order, Anthony grabbed everything that was to be washed and they made their way downstairs. As they were making their way down the hall and to the kitchen, the second door on the left-hand side was open. Strange for any other time of year, considering that was the room that held all of the instruments.   
As it turned out, Giovanni and Henry were both home. Their brother was obviously off doing something else, and as they had predicted, their father sat in the forbidden room, his fingers gently running over the strings of the harp that sat in the corner.   
There was also a piano in said room, along with quite a few other instruments, but they all remained covered with white sheets.  
Henry didn't know how to play anything except the accordion presumably, even that wasn't an excuse for music to be played.

Anthony paused as they went to pass the room, silently looking in at their father, sorrowfully plucking strings at random that would emit sound.  
It was heartbreaking to see such a strong and powerful man so broken and almost lost.

Molly watched too, expression saddening as they paused for a brief moment to watch their father, the sounds of harp strings echoing out into the hallway.

It was always like this and for Molly, she hated it too. She loved her father. Sure, there were moments where he wasn't exactly the best, but everyone had their flaws, and in her eyes, because he was family, she loved him. Even if she was the only one in the house that truly did.

Slowly looking up at Anthony, Molly shook her head.   
"I hate seein' him like this... come on, we should get to makin' the dinner."   
Lightly tugging her brother away from the door, the two of them continued on their way to the kitchen.

Anthony gave a slow nod, allowing himself to be taken away from the forbidden room but stopped once they were just outside of the kitchen.  
"Hey uh... do ya maybe wanna give him the painting now? See if it cheers him up a little? It's pretty much done and I feel like if anything else is added, it'll ruin it."  
He asked, keeping his voice lowered.

Tilting her head to the side, Molly slowly nodded, eyes narrowing in thought.   
"Yes..."   
She hummed, turning around.   
"If y' sure. I'll give it to him. You go start on the cookin'. I'll go give him the painting."   
With that and a heel turn, Molly was walking back towards the stairwell.

Upstairs in the art room, she grabbed a sheet and carefully put it over the canvas to hide it after making the paint was dry, she picked it up and began to make her way back down to the forbidden room. It was no surprise that Henry was still there when she returned. 

Anthony already had a plan for what they could have for dinner and it was fairly easy to make, so when his sister to come back down and went to take the canvas from her so she wouldn't have to struggle with it.  
"Here, you just pull the sheet off."  
He said quietly.

Giving Anthony a small wave from behind her back, she cleared her throat slightly as she lightly knocked on the door, the painting in the sheet hidden behind her back slightly.   
"Papa?"

Anthony put his hands up in defeat but stayed by the door to see the reaction. He appreciated that his sister was taking the credit for him, knowing that if he were to come forward with it himself, the work would have been for nothing.

Henry remained hunched forward as he gave a small grunt of acknowledgment, taking a moment to collect himself.  
"Yes, Maria. What is it."  
The man's deep voice was extremely soft and quiet as he slowly sat himself up, raising his head to his daughter, dark brown hair unkempt, and glossy brown eyes opening to look at her.

"I made y' somethin'." 

She started.   
"I worked _really_ hard on it these past few weeks, and more effort's gone into it than y' know. I hope you like it, Papa."

Henry listened closely to what Molly was saying, even sitting up a little more to show his interest and support.

Bringing the painting covered by the sheet forward, she slowly pulled the sheet off, revealing the beautifully painted picture of her mother.   
"Given the time of year, I wanted to do somethin' for _you_."

As the sheet was removed, you could see the struggle in their father's features how hard he was fighting to keep himself together.

Anthony watched closely, so far relieved at the reaction.

"Maria... mia dolce ragazza, come here."  
The man said softly, holding his arm out to her.  
"You've made this for me?"

She visibly sighed as soon as her father showed signs of actually liking the painting, the woman moving towards him, nodding softly.   
"Yeah..." 

Henry carefully brought his arm around his daughter and carefully placed a hand on the canvas to hold it up, examining the details on the portrait in silence for a few moments.

There was clear hesitation, Molly wanting nothing more than to tell him it was Anthony behind the masterpiece, but for now, this would have to do.  
"I hope you like it and I hope y' hang it up somewhere because I don't want her portrait to just be stored away somewhere under a white sheet. I want her to be seen."

"Maria, she's beautiful. You've even captured her dimples... her beautiful eyes..."  
Henry sighed, his eyes pooling with tears.  
"My beautiful darling Flavia..."  
The man sniffed with a small smile.

Anthony smiled a little from where he stood. It had been so long since their father spoke their mother's name. Flavia Maria was clearly the light of Henry's life while she was alive even though their marriage wasn't anyone's first choice nor did anyone think it would work, but she had made this man very happy.  
It also made Anthony question his initial theory. If Henry was this affected by the death of his wife, how could he have something to do with it?

Their mother's death was a mystery even to Giovanni, and it could only be assumed that it was going to stay that way.

Molly leaned her head against her father slightly, enjoying this while it lasted. Usually Henry was someone to never show affection of any kind, so this was nice for once.   
"I'm glad y' like it, Papa. I showed Tony earlier, and he said it looked very much like her."   
Deciding to bring her brother into the conversation, wanting to see how her father would react. She knew that Anthony was probably somewhere close by too.

"Well, he's right. Y' did a wonderful job, Maria. Thank you."  
The man smiled, running a finger over the portrait's dimples and the blonde hair carefully.  
"Almost like she's right in front of us..."

Anthony couldn't help but smile, giving a nod before excusing himself to go and start dinner.

"Where would you like me to put her?"  
Henry asked.  
"I know y' said y' wanted her to be seen."

Taking a small step back and picking the sheet up from the floor, Molly once again nodded. "I was thinkin' the parlor? That way, she'll always be with us rather than kept behind a locked door. We'll get to see her portrait all the time."

Originally, Molly was going to suggest the music room or even her father's office- but as her reasoning went, she didn't want it to be only rarely seen.   
"I'm gunna go make somethin' for us to eat. I'm relieved you like it, Papa. I love you."   
She spoke with a warm smile, moving towards the slightly open door of the music room.

Once Molly had joined him in the kitchen, Anthony walked over hand hugged her tightly with a big smile.  
"So glad he liked it..."  
He sighed.

Molly as she walked into the kitchen, hugged Anthony back just as tightly, laughing softly with a smile just as bright.   
"And the wonderful things he said about it! Tony, can you believe?! I wanted _so_ badly to tell him it was your masterpiece and not mine, but I didn't want his mood to change."

"Doesn't matter who painted it at this point. As long as he's happy with it."  
Anthony replied, giving his sister a final squeeze before letting go.  
"C'mon. Let's get dinner goin'."


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Blood, abuse~

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Wednesday, March 30th, 1921  
New York City  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

That morning, bright and early as expected, the Ragnatela family left for St John's cemetery so they could spend most of the day with their dearly departed wife and mother.   
Like every year prior, they all brought their own bouquet of flowers to place on Flavia's headstone.   
For Henry, a dozen white roses. Giovanni, white irises. Anthony, white lilies. And Molly, white orchids.

They all sat in front of the headstone for five and a half hours, all shedding a single tear at the very least while Henry spoke as if his wife were there with them; telling her about the painting Molly supposedly painted in her honor and how proud she would have been of each of her children, telling her about everything they had all accomplished in the previous year since their last family visit.

Members of ally families even showed up to pay their respects as well, leaving their own bouquets and giving Henry a solemn pat on the back before silently taking their leave.   
It was painful for everyone to witness Henry in such a state.

Molly had been quiet much of the morning that they had visited her grave. Part of her was sad, of course, however, there was another part of her that was anxious for the events that were ahead. She was supposed to be going to Nancy's home that evening, and she was nervous about it. 

Upon making it home in the afternoon, Henry did as he always did and went to the forbidden room to once again sit at the harp, Giovanni went up to his room, leaving Anthony and Molly to their own devices and to come up with a plan of action for that evening.

"It's still pretty early."   
Molly spoke softly to Anthony as she put her coat away in the coatroom, knowing that Giovanni and their father weren't around now.   
"We gotta come up with a plan for tonight."

Anthony gave a nod, hands in his pockets.  
"I could tell pops that you're real upset and tell him I'm takin' ya out for a drive? Gio's probably gunna be up in his room and outta the way, so he won't be able to object or say he'd be the one t' take ya."  
He suggested.  
It really did seem like the only reasonable idea he seemed to be able to come up with at the moment.

Molly nodded at that, knowing that with everything that had happened today, she had every right to seem upset.   
"Yeah, I think that will work. Good thinkin'."  
They still had a few hours before she was to be at Nancy's, however both her and Anthony figured that if they went out before, it would make things slightly easier too.

He nodded and smiled a bit, hoping that things wouldn't change within the time that things were supposed to happen.  
"Y' hungry? I feel like the other two ain't gunna think about food 'till t'morrow, so it's probably gunna be the two of us."  
Anthony said softly as they walked past the music room and towards the kitchen.

Thinking about food only made Molly realize how hungry she was, feeling her mouth start watering at the thought. She hadn't eaten much breakfast that morning, the nerves having set in even by then.   
"Starvin'."   
She nodded, following her brother into the kitchen.

When it got closer to six-thirty, the twins made their way down, Molly putting on the waterworks to make their story more believable.

"Hey, pops?"  
Anthony called quietly, the painting he'd done still sitting within Henry's line of sight. He hadn't hung it up yet probably so he could continue looking at it while he sulked.

"What is it, Antonio."  
The man slowly grumbled, head still down.

Molly made sure that her quiet sniffs of sorrow could be heard from where she stood behind the door. As her father spoke to Anthony, Molly was there with her bag and coat all ready to go, fake yet believable tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Maria ain't feeling too good. I'm gunna take her out for a drive, see if that'll help her."  
He explained once he was acknowledged.

Henry took a moment, pausing before he started to raise his head and look to his youngest son.  
"Make sure y-"

"I'm heeled, sir, don't worry."  
Anthony cut in, knowing he could get away with it this time as he opened his coat to show his gun in its holster.  
"She's safe with me. Y' know that."

Henry gave a slow nod and started lowering his head again.  
"Make sure you're back b'fore midnight..."  
He muttered as he plucked a string on the harp.

"Yes sir."  
Anthony nodded before heading for the kitchen and back door, knowing Molly was right behind him, still putting on her show.

Taking his sister out to the car after grabbing the keys, leading her out to the garage as she wiped her crocodile tears.  
"Got everythin'?"  
He asked once they were both in the car.

Anthony was excited for Molly to be able to actually get out and have a friend, especially since today was a very sad day. She could really use the pick-me-up and he was so glad to be helping her with it.

Molly had her bag set neatly in her lap. She wasn't really sure what to bring to another's house, so she just brought with her what she usually brought to go around the town.   
"I think so... what do y' think people even do at other people's houses, huh? I hope Nance hasn't made any food since I already ate."   
She trailed off slightly, glancing out the car window as Anthony pulled out onto their long driveway.

Anthony had very little experience with that front too, but he had more than his sister.  
"Well uh... I ain't too sure how t' answer that one. I don't think you're supposed t' really bring anythin'. If you're invited somewhere, it's safe to assume they've got stuff already set out for ya t' do."  
Anthony shrugged.  
"That's just my take on it at least."

Molly took her brother's advice regardless, thanking him for it even if it wasn't too much of a help.   
"Well, I hope it goes well. Papa said to make sure we're back by midnight? That's kind of an odd time to be leavin' someone's house, y' know?"

"Remember, he thinks we're just out for a ride."  
He reminded.  
"We should set a time for me t' come get 'cha."

Molly grew silent for a second, thinking a few possibilities over in her mind.   
"What if... I stayed there for the night?"   
She spoke slowly, looking over to her brother hopefully.   
"Promise I'd be back home before Papa is even downstairs for breakfast."

Anthony's brows furrowed. That was a _terrible_ idea, but... he wanted Molly to get as much out of this as she could. It was uncertain when she'd be able to get out like this again.  
Mulling it over in his head for a minute, he finally sighed.

"Only if y' promise... and I mean it, y' swear on Ma's grave that you'll be back in time. An hour earlier than when dad wakes up. No excuses."  
Anthony said firmly, glancing to his sister.

They both knew that if anything were to happen, the blame would be one hundred percent on Anthony, and if their father were to find out about this in general, there would be huge trouble.

Molly very well understood these circumstances. That was the last thing she wanted to happen.

"Anthony."   
Molly spoke firmly, looking over at him and into his eyes.   
"You _know_ I don't go breakin' promises, and I promise that I will be in that door of our house before he even starts to think about goin' down for breakfast. You have my word. I swear on Ma's grave."

Anthony let out a breath and tried to relax his shoulders, looking back to the road in front of them.  
"Good... you're lucky she ain't as far as y' thought. Thirty t' forty minutes of a walk at most. If y' ain't back by five, I'm comin' t' look for ya."  
He nodded, reaching into his pocket for a cigarette and lit it quickly. This was stressful, but he had faith that everything would turn out okay.

Trying her hardest to contain the sheer amount of excitement she felt at that, Molly just nodded, keeping it simple.  
"Deal. But y' won't even have t' go lookin' for me. Why? 'Cause Papa ain't even gunna know I'm gone at all. You'll be _fine,_ Tony."

She knew that it wasn't too long of a walk back to the Ragnatela home, but it was still quite cold for the end of March so when she did come home early that next morning, she would have to wrap up.

Giving a nod, Anthony focused on driving, thus the rest of the ride was silent between them.   
Coming up to the rather small house in a small neighborhood, Anthony looked around as he parked the car.  
"Y' want me t' walk y' t' the door?"  
He asked, his own nerves starting to come into play just as much, if not more than what Molly's were.

Letting out a small breath once they'd stopped, the piece of paper with Nancy's address still in one of her hands, Molly shook her head.   
"It's okay. I got it."   
She paused, about to open the door a moment before she glanced back over her shoulder again, giving Anthony a warm smile.   
"Thanks for doin' this Tony. It really means a lot t' me. I'll see y' no later than five."

Anthony gave a nod, taking the last drag of his cigarette before flicking it out of his window.  
"Yeah, have fun. Make this worth it."  
He said, smiling slightly in return.

Nodding once again, making sure she had her bag with her, Molly finally opened the car door and stepped out onto the sidewalk, looking down at her dress as he did so. She was wearing one of the dresses that had been ordered from the store that Nancy worked at. 

"I'll wait here t' make sure y' make it in okay."  
Pausing, he took a breath before she had a chance to close the door.  
"Hey, y' want my gun? Just in case?"

Just as she was about to close the car door, Molly stopped, giving her brother a slight look at his question.   
"'Course not. I'll be _fine_. Goodbye now, Tony!"   
With a final wave, the car door closed behind her.

Anthony was about to _tell_ her to take it but was met with the door being shut just as he was opening his mouth.  
She knew how to defend herself, but he still couldn't help but worry because they didn't know how she would react in real-time with a real threat. For all they knew, she could freeze up and forget what she was to do.   
A lot was on the line with this and if she showed up back home with even a mere scratch, he was done for.

After watching Molly be welcomed into the small home, Anthony started the car again and made his way back to the estate where he found everyone had already retired for the evening, all of the lights in the house were off as far as he could see, and he figured he would join the party and get some rest while he could.  
  
  


When morning rolled around, Anthony made sure to be up long before the other two men and made his way down to the kitchen in hopes of getting breakfast ready so they would all still eat on time and lower any suspicion. He made sure to grab the morning newspaper and set it at the head of the table, all ready for when Henry awoke. The mail didn't usually come until around seven, so he didn't have to worry about that.

Time was getting on though, almost hitting five when Henry unexpectedly came down for breakfast. Anthony heard the man enter the dining room and sit down.   
This wasn't good.  
In a slight panic, Anthony poured his father some orange juice and brought it out to him.

"Mornin' sir."  
He said as calmly as he could as he set the glass down.

Henry looked up from the paper, brows knitting together.  
"Where's Maria?"  
He asked, concern laced in his tone.

"She ah... she ain't feelin' so good. Came and told me not long ago so I got up and told her t' go back t' bed."  
Anthony nodded.

Henry nodded slowly.  
"Alright... well, maybe I should go see if she's okay."

"Oh, no no no, she's fine, pops. Just a little under the weather. She'll be down soon, don't worry."  
Anthony said, trying to contain the situation and stall, hoping that Henry would excuse himself to use the washroom so Molly could sneak upstairs when she got there before he finished.

Anthony looked down at his watch and saw the time.  
"I'm gunna go check on somethin' real quick and then get started on breakfast."  
He said as he dismissed himself, walking back to the kitchen and through the back door before sprinting down the driveway in the rain to see if he could see his sister anywhere.   
Anthony was _really_ starting to panic.

With Molly nowhere in sight from where he stood, he was about to run back and grab the keys to the car to go looking but stopped when he spotted something curled up on the side of the road not far from the house.  
Quickly walking towards the heap, Anthony noticed that it was alive and shivering, crying even.

"Molly?!"  
He called as he started to run towards her once he noticed the unmistakeable dirty blonde hair.  
  
  


It was nearing five and Molly was certainly frozen, exhausted, and wet from when it had oh so conveniently started raining about an hour ago. The temperature at night hadn't risen very much, despite it nearing April now, and she didn't have her coat on her anymore.

She didn't know where she was, nothing looking familiar at all, but that could have been just down to her exhaustion. She hadn't slept and her chest was still heaving, helping assist the now much smaller river of genuine tears that flowed freely down her cheeks and dripped from her chin. They had subsided quite a bit from what they had been, but Molly was still feeling the same way. The sort of way that wanted to make you hide away forever in a hole in the ground and simply curl in on yourself and cry.

Her walking pace had slowed over the last few minutes, the poor woman shivering, her vision clouded with even more tears as she kept rethinking and thinking and then her mind went to Anthony. That certainly didn't make her feel _any_ better. It was surely past five by now and Molly knew that with no way to get home from here aside from walking? Anthony was going to be in a sort of trouble that couldn't be fathomed. The guilt Molly felt from that alone piled on top of everything else- it made her chest hurt that much more.

Whether it was the cold or the fact that she was almost sobbing again by this point, whatever it was, Molly soon found herself crouching down to the side of the road, her head resting in her palms as she curled in on herself slightly, trying to keep warm. She didn't know what she was going to be doing from here on out, but for now, she just wanted to hide.

A few minutes passed maybe before suddenly a voice cut through the cold rain, Molly very slightly lifting her head to look up with tear-filled eyes at the unmistakable figure of her brother.

"Tony?"   
She croaked out quietly, quickly staggering to her feet and almost leaping into her brother's arms, sobbing even harder now that he was here.

Anthony wrapped his arms around her tightly as he caught her.  
"God, you're _frozen!_ Where's your coat? Molly what happened?!"  
Considering the way he found her, he knew something horrible happened.  
He didn't care about the likely punishment he was to get, he needed to get her inside before she caught a nasty cold.

"C'mon, we gotta get 'cha inside."  
He said as calmly as he could, Molly shaking violently in his arms.

Molly didn't say anything, she simply huddled close to Anthony her eyes closing as they began to slowly walk in the direction of what she presumed to be their home. She hadn't realized she'd been so close. 

This wasn't fast enough though, so Anthony crouched down in front of his sister and carried her on his back, almost running back to the estate.

"I'm sorry..."   
She quietly muttered as they made it around to the back entrance of the home, the two of them stepping into the warmth.   
"I'm so _so_ sorry Anthony..."

Anthony shook his head.  
"No no, _I'm_ sorry. I shouldn't have left ya alone. We shoulda stuck to a better plan."  
He hushed.  
"Talk t' me. What happened? Where's your coat? Just explain everythin'."  
He sighed, trying to keep his voice as quiet as possible so they hopefully wouldn't be found out.

Wiping at her eyes again as they walked through the laundry room and into the kitchen, Molly shook her head.   
"Coats still at the house."   
She murmured, looking over at Anthony now with an expression of nothing but sadness as she moved towards one of the kitchen counters, leaning her back against it as she gazed down to the floor, still lightly shivering, tears glossing over her eyes again.   
"I just... it's my fault. I need to think for a bit. I'm sorry."

Anthony shook his head and filled the kettle with water before putting it on the stove.  
"Take your time. I told pops you're not feelin' well and that you're still in bed. We'll sneak ya up there after breakfast."  
He said as he moved towards the door and out to the coatroom where he grabbed his own heavy coat. He paid no mind to the dining room as he went back to the kitchen and wrapped the mound of fabric over his sister's shoulders.  
"I'm makin' ya some tea. Hopefully y' don't end up sick or nothin'."  
He sighed.

Anthony unfortunately made the mistake of being oddly suspicious when leaving the kitchen and going back with his coat, both Giovanni and Henry taking note as they watched through the glass French doors that looked out towards the kitchen door before making their way to the kitchen.

Thanking Anthony for the heavy coat, Molly sighed gently, the thought of a warm tea sounding wonderful.   
"Thanks. Do y' th-"

"Tony, what's goin' on?"  
The eldest brother asked as he pushed the door open, their father right behind.

Once they caught sight of the twins; both suspicion and worry took over both of the men.

Before she could even finish, Giovanni _and_ their father seemed to suddenly appear, looking quite alarmed at not only Molly's appearance but the way she was shivering, her face and eyes red from having been clearly crying.

Anthony's eyes widened slightly, his head whipping around.

"Maria?"  
Henry spoke, seeing his daughter in shambles, shaking, and an utter mess.

"Oh, Papa. You're awake."  
Molly spoke slowly, looking over at the two men in the room, glancing briefly over to Anthony with slight worry before looking back at their father.   
"Y' sleep well?"

There was a deafening silence that seemed to last ages before the father spoke again.  
"Giovanni, take your sister upstairs."  
He stated firmly.

Giovanni gulped silently and nodded, stepping forward and wrapped an arm around Molly, ushering her out of the room as quickly as he could, leaving Anthony to face Henry alone. 

"Papa Tony didn't do anythin', it wasn't hi-"   
But before she could even finish, Giovanni had brought her out of the room, the kitchen door closed behind them. Despite Molly's best efforts to pull away from her older brother and get back into that kitchen, she couldn't.

It was just now that Anthony was starting to feel the fear quickly pile up in the pit of his gut. He knew Molly was safe now, so now it was his turn to worry for himself.

"Gio- y' gotta tell Papa not t' hurt him. He didn't do _anythin'_!"   
Molly pleaded, tugging on Giovanni's arm weakly, fresh sets of tears now rolling down her cheeks once again.   
"It's _my_ fault!"

"This is outta both our hands, Maria. Y' know he ain't gunna listen t' me when it comes t' this stuff."  
Giovanni said as he brought her upstairs with some difficulty due to her struggling.  
"Y' gotta talk t' me, 'cause he's gunna ask, and if he doesn't like your answer, he's gunna make things worse on all of us. If y' tell me, I'll make sure the answer is satisfactory."  
He said, ignoring the booming sound of their father's voice coming from the kitchen as he brought Molly to her bedroom.

Molly stood her ground in front of her bedroom door, looking up at Giovanni with a tear-filled frown, closing her eyes briefly to try and block out the sounds of their father from downstairs.

"I can't say nothin'."   
She finally spoke after a few moments, eyes opening again.   
"Gio, just... just say I didn't tell you anythin'. Cause I haven't and I ain't."   
With that, Molly opened her door and stepped into her room, immediately moving over to her bed.  
"Rat to Papa all y' want. Make up whatever y' want to save your own ass."

Giovanni's jaw clenched and his chest expanded slightly as he inhaled deeply, stepping into the room after her and shut the door to try to help drown out the sounds from the kitchen.  
"I'm tryna save all our asses, Maria. If he doesn't get an answer from you, he's gunna come t' me. If I ain't got answers, he's gunna go for Tony."  
He explained.  
"You and I both know the peckin' order 'round here. At least give me _somethin'_ t' tell him 'cause when neither myself nor dad saw y' come downstairs, so it's obvious y' went out at some point and came home lookin' like a train wreck."  
He sat on the edge of the bed, things getting eerily quiet from the kitchen now.  
"Give me somethin' t' work with. For Tony's sake."

As much as he hated to admit it, Giovanni really did care for his siblings, he just never showed it because it could have been labeled as a weakness for people to take advantage of, especially their father.

It was clear that the sudden silence from downstairs was unsettling, Molly looking to the door with worry.   
"I went out to a friend's."   
Was all she said for now.

She could have sworn she felt the floor shaking from the sudden yelp of pure pain that could be heard suddenly erupting from downstairs. Once again, Molly found herself crying, more so in anger this time though as she fell forwards onto her bed, face burying into her pillow as she began to scream herself, doing _anything_ to try and drown out her twin's cries.

Even Giovanni flinched at the sudden cry, his shoulders raising and head turning away from the door slightly as he closed his eyes and ground his teeth together.

It was at the third shrill from downstairs that he shot up from where he sat and made his way back down, making sure to close Molly's bedroom door behind him.   
He had enough to make something up and put a stop to the abuse... for now. Whether the story he put together was accurate to what actually happened didn't matter. It would have to do.

Pushing the kitchen door open, Giovanni stepped in, seeing Anthony on the floor, curled into a tight ball with his right hand held to his chest and blood soaking his blonde locks and running down his face from the left side of his head.  
Grabbing Henry by the arm, Giovanni took a breath.

"Maria is okay. She just went out t' see a friend she'd made and got a little lost."  
He said firmly.

Henry was incredibly tense, seething with anger.  
"She could have been killed out there..."  
He ground out through clenched teeth.  
" _You_ are responsible for this."  
He growled, pointing at the shriveled boy in front of him before turning on his heel and swiftly leaving the room.

Giovanni stood in place, looking down at his brother in silence for a moment as he waited for Henry's footsteps to disappear before moving closer.

"Tony..."  
Giovanni began as he knelt to Anthony, who in turn sat up and tried to move away.  
"Tony, I ain't gunna hurt ya. We gotta get 'cha taken care of."  
He sighed, slowly reaching for the maimed boy.

"Don't touch me!"  
Anthony cried out, pushing himself further into the corner he found himself in.

Taking a look around, Giovanni tried to pinpoint exactly what was used to cause the trauma. The kettle and a skillet were the most likely considering their new places within the room. Looking back to Anthony, the eldest brother held his breath and moved forward, doing his best to grab his younger brother so he could take him upstairs without hurting him any more than he already was.

"No! Don't touch me! Lemme go!!"  
Anthony screamed and tried to squirm out of Giovanni's arms, even going as far as biting him, but the eldest brother pushed on and brought the screaming and thrashing boy up to the main bathroom where all of the medical supplies were.

Molly had managed to gather a few of her thoughts in the few moments of silence that finally settled upon the house.   
However, it was unfortunately short-lived, Anthony's screams slicing through the air yet again as Giovanni dragged him up the stairs.

Molly looked a mess, but at least she had stopped shivering, and with the sound of her brothers' voices getting closer, she knew it was safe to say their father had stopped. Almost leaping from her bed, she ran out into the hallway and to the bathroom where she saw Giovanni dragging their brother.

As Molly's eyes landed on her twin, dread, guilt and every other bad emotion that she'd ever felt began to set in, honey brown eyes going wide at the state that her brother was in, a sickly feeling rising to her stomach. She'd done this. She'd caused _all_ of this. If she had simply not insisted on staying the night, then none of this would have happened at all. Anthony would be okay.

"Anth-"   
Before the words could even come out, Molly doubled over slightly, a hand flying to her mouth as she quickly grabbed a bucket, ran out of the main bathroom, and started down the hallway a bit. It was all too much.   
Coughs, splutters, and sobs were the only sounds audible as Molly retched into the bucket, one hand busy holding her hair back.  
If the guest bathroom wasn't so far away, she would have run there but she knew she wouldn't make it that far.

Giovanni could barely hear anything over Anthony. The kid was stronger than he looked.   
"Maria, I need your help!"  
The eldest called as he put Anthony in the bathtub, seeing as he would just continue to corner himself and get blood all over anything he touched.  
"Tony, y' gotta calm down so I can see what needs fixin'."

Unfortunately, Anthony still wasn't compliant, but he was tiring himself out. The adrenaline was starting to wear off now that he was starting to realize he wasn't in nearly as much danger as he was.  
Holding his right hand to his chest with the left covering it still, the male twin sobbed and looked up at his brother with those green eyes that were filled with clear pain and turmoil.  
This wasn't like Giovanni. He was never one to help in these situations.

Sitting next to the tub, Giovanni held out his hands.  
"C'mon, kid. He ain't here anymore. He can't hurt 'cha."  
He sighed.

Anthony could only shake his head as tears started to leak from his eyes that were becoming heavy. The pain was setting in and he was shutting down, yet he still refused.

A few moments later Molly had managed to get herself over to the main bathroom and put the bucket aside, rushing to Anthony's side as he lay in the bathtub, putting her own pain and guilt aside for just a little bit. She knew that Anthony was in a really bad state.

"Where's he bleedin' from most?"   
She asked as she rolled up the sleeves over her dress, kneeling down on the ground and reaching a hand out for her twin.   
"Anthony, I'm here. Please don't cry, I promise y' gunna be okay- just hold on for me. Please."

Giovanni moved out of his sister's way, grateful for her arrival.  
"His head by the looks of it. Most likely gunna concuss. Tell me what 'cha need t' fix him."  
He said as he moved to the closet where they kept all of their medical supplies.

Anthony immediately relaxed when he saw Molly, lowering his head and looking down as he shakily brought his hands forward, removing the left from over the right.  
His right hand was swollen and was already heavily bruised with greens, purples, and blues.  
"S-So-... Sono ferito-"  
He managed to choke out with slurred speech, his eyes blinking rapidly.   
"Mi viene da vomitare..."  
He added as he slowly sunk lower into the tub, his hand lowering as he started to feel himself fall less and less conscious.

"Somethin' to bandage his hand, it looks pretty beat up. God, I hope it's just sprained at most. Y' gunna have to get some ice too. Needle and thread for his head too probably."   
Rushing to the sink, Molly gathered some water in her hands and brought it over to Anthony's head, pushing back her brother's hair to get a better view of the bleeding injury there. 

"Anthony- stai sveglio."   
Reaching into the tub, Molly attempted to pull the other up a little, however, with how limp he was becoming, it was quite difficult.   
"Y' gunna have to help me sit him up too, Gio. We can't have him slumping down like this- Gio quickly."   
Usually, Molly had an excellent resolve when she was tending to any injuries that her family members acquired- but this was different. She still wasn't in the right mindset and Anthony was beaten more than she could have ever comprehended. It scared her, honestly.

Giovanni quickly grabbed a handful of bandages and other things they would probably need before rushing back to help, dropping the items next to his sister, and decided to get in the tub behind his brother to help keep him up, arms firmly around his torso.   
"Just forget the ice. Run the tap for a minute and that should be good enough for now. There's only two of us."  
Usually, when someone was brought in, there would be at least one other woman to help. That wasn't the case this time.

Anthony was becoming weaker and weaker, unable to hold his head up or keep his eyes fully open as his head leaned back against his brother's shoulder.

"Keep breathin' kid, c'mon..."  
He muttered in Anthony's ear.

"È il m-mio momento?"  
Anthony whispered.  
"P-Penso di essere pronto..."  
He took a noticeably deep and shaky breath as his eyes closed, the vision of New Orleans taking over his mind.  
"Alastor..."

Molly's eyes widened all the more at what she could hear her brother muttering, even if he _was_ concussed.   
"Anthony, don't you dare go speakin' like that."   
She hushed, lips pursing together as Alastor's name was mentioned.  
"Anthony- _Anthony_. Stai sveglio. Resta con noi. Per favore..."

"Alastor?"  
Giovanni asked, brows furrowing as he took Anthony's wrist to check for a pulse and keep track of it.

There was a brief silence, Molly's expression unreadable as she looked to the side for a second before going back to the task at hand.   
"He's delirious Gio... could be anyone he's talkin' about."

"He's fine, just do what ya gotta do. I'll keep an eye on him."  
He nodded.

From there, Molly continued to tend to her brother's wounds, admittedly being one hell of a lot easier now that he had passed out.  
  
  


Two weeks soon passed from that day, and while Henry may have continued on as if he hadn't beaten his youngest son near to a pulp, the evidence was still very much there. Anthony's injuries luckily weren't life-threatening in any way, but he was in pretty bad shape. With a broken hand, a lot of bruising, and some severe concussion, Molly had been tending to him for at least a few days after the incident.   
As for Molly herself? She still hadn't spoken a word to anyone about what had happened that evening. In fact, she'd barely spoken very much at all in comparison to what was normal for her.

It was early and Molly had just walked downstairs to start on breakfast, and as she did every morning, had gone to first check the mail. It had been two weeks, so as expected, there was a letter from New Orleans addressed to her twin brother. This time, with a heavy heart, Molly slowly pocketed the letter and continued on her way into the kitchen, starting on breakfast.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Birthday in the server!!  
> ~Ab*rtion, miscarriage, and mentions of r*pe and murder~  
> Before we begin, watch for a divider that will tell you when to skip and when it is safe to keep reading just so you will bypass the very touchy subject of abortion.  
> Thank you <3

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Thursday, April 28th, 1921  
New Orleans  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Coming home from work later in the morning, Amélie had a fellow nurse with her to help with something she absolutely needed to have taken care of before the issue could progress even further.  
The woman carried a rather large bag with her that was equipped with all of the necessary tools that would be needed.

Checking the mail before entering the home, still, nothing from New York, the two women made their way upstairs to get to work.  
Unfortunately, this process was going to be incredibly painful and quite terrifying. She had performed these things a fair few times but never had it done on herself. She never had the need to.  
Her first child miscarried due to unfortunate circumstances involving her husband, but that was far from the same as this.

Amélie could only hope that she would be finished by the time her son came home, not wanting him to know about any of what was really going on. She knew Alastor would return right back to square one with his anger and frustration because he was unable to protect her, even when he knew about the things that were happening with Batallier before he ceased to exist amongst the living.

As soon as she got inside, her friend provided her with some mild pain killers to start off with just to ease the beginnings of the journey that would slowly increase depending on how much pain she found herself to be in.  
  
  


One beautiful April early afternoon, one where the warm sun had been shining all day, Alastor found himself walking home with a spring in his step, whistling a slight tune to himself as his and his mother's home came into view.  
As of recently, Alastor had been quite concerned for his mother. Unfortunate falls, occasionally dizzy spells and being frequently unsteady on her feet were some of the few things that he had noted his mother suffering from over the last month or so, and while he was sure it was perhaps a deficiency thing or simply his mother's age, not to be rude of course, he would still be concerned for her health regardless.

Today was a good day though. And why? Well, as of Monday, Alastor had been expecting a letter back from Anthony. It had been around three days since then, so surely it was to come in that day? If not, then hopefully it would be there the next day, before the weekend. He simply put the lateness down to the postal system, nothing more.

Approaching the house, Alastor removed his shoes and then opened the door to his home, the slightly cooler temperature inside welcoming him as he stepped in, the man removing his hat and jacket before hanging them up, calling out to his mother as he did every time he arrived home.  
"Mama! Are you home? A beautiful day is it not?"  
He called out joyfully, beginning to walk up the stairs to his room to change from his day of work.

•┈┈┈••✦ Skip here or start preparing ✦••┈┈┈•  
  
  
  
  
  


The two women were located in Amélie's bedroom with the door closed, Amélie already in quite a bit of discomfort with her head pressed firmly back against her pillows as her co-worker was in the process of opening the woman's cervix, causing her to clench her teeth and try not to alert the neighbors that something may have been wrong. Amélie didn't want to use many pain killers for this, wanting to be up and back to normal as soon as possible; the use of drugs would have only impaired her longer.

They couldn't stop now that they were in the middle of the process, Amélie simply swallowing the pain so she could answer her son.  
"Yes, my dear!"  
She called in reply, trying to make it sound as if her insides weren't in the process of being pried open by force.

"You're doing wonderfully, Amélie, just keep breathing for me."  
Claire, Amélie's co-worker said softly.

Alastor raised a slight brow, hearing his mother's voice coming from her room. Perhaps she had been asleep.  
"Did you check the mail this morning? Anything from Anthony yet?"  
He called once again, making it to the top of the stairs and moving across to his mother's room, knocking lightly before he began to open the door.

"I know we've been expecting a letter from him since Monday, but-"  
Out of all the things Alastor could have expected, seeing his mother laying on her bed with her long time friend and fellow nurse, Claire, tending to her in such a way, was certainly _not_ what he'd been expecting.  
"Mama- I- I do apologize. What- I'll just be outside."  
Quickly stepping outside into the hallway, the door firmly shut in front of him now, Alastor placed a hand against the door, eyes slightly wide.  
It didn't take a genius to begin to guess what might have been happening, and with Claire's profession, it made more sense; but it also made _less_ sense to him too. How could this be?

"Damn it-"  
Amélie muttered as she brought her hands up behind her head and under the pillow, pressing the sides of it up against the sides of her head. She was beginning to break a sweat from the immense discomfort she was experiencing. She didn't want her son to find out or see anything that even remotely hinted towards her unwanted pregnancy.  
"No mail!"  
She called just before letting out a pained yelp.

"Sorry, Amie... just a little more, and then I can go in."  
Claire stated.  
"Do you need something to bite down on?"  
The nurse asked.

Amélie simply let out a loud groan and bit down onto the side of her pillow to hush herself.

"Are you sure you don't want any more medication?"

Amélie's breathing was becoming more and more labored as time went on.  
"N-No, no th-thank you."  
She panted into the cushion.

"Alastor? Can you come back here please? Your mother needs support through this next part if you're willing."  
The nurse called.

Swinging the door back open again, eyes on the floor, his face far from smiling in any way, shape, or form, Alastor quickly strode into the room and over to his mother's bedside.  
"I didn't know."  
He slowly let out, his face clearly hurt as he reached out and slowly took Amélie's hand, giving it a small squeeze.

Alastor had many questions. He felt lied to, almost. Hurt. His mother had been with child and hadn't told him. Of course, there was most likely a good reason behind her actions of not saying a thing, he didn't doubt that, but he couldn't help but feel upset.

She did feel horrible for having to keep it from her son, but Amélie truly didn't want him dwelling on it. She didn't want him to carry that burden as well.  
She grasped Alastor's hand, seeing the confused pain clear as day on his features.  
"Alastor..."  
She breathed, trying to keep herself relaxed. Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. Not because of the pain she was physically in, but because she could read that her son was just that upset.  
The amniotic sack broke and a gush of fluids left her body and into a large bucket just at the edge of the bed to catch everything.  
"I'm s-so sorry-"  
She began but was cut off by the searing agony as Claire began carefully scraping at the walls of her uterus with medical tools small enough to fit and began removing the contents, Amélie holding her breath to reduce the shills that desperately wanted to leave her lungs.

"You're almost there, Amélie. You're so brave."  
Claire praised as she carefully began removing the fetus itself and putting it all into a large bowl that sat just off to the side so she could examine it and determine how far along she was.

Alastor slowly shook his head, eyes closing for a moment as he brought both hands to rest upon his mother's, squeezing gently as her pain-filled cries of hurt filled the room.

"I'm presuming she didn't take anything for the pain."  
Alastor voiced his thoughts with a breath, knowing his mother all too well. She wouldn't have taken anything, not wanting to feel the effects later on.

It was hard to watch, Alastor keeping his eyes either on his mother's face or the ground, reassuring her where he could, at least glad that he has back in time to help her through this.

The procedure itself lasted no longer than an hour and a half from start to finish, Alastor having come in about halfway through.  
When Amélie was cleaned and closed up again, Claire made sure to take the soiled towels, tools, and holding containers out of the bedroom and to the bathroom to be cleaned. They would be sterilized again later at the hospital, but for now, they just needed a thorough rinsing. The contents in the bowl, however, would be up for Amélie to decide.

Amélie's breathing continued to stay heavy and shallow as the pain slowly subsided once she was comfortably back on the bed entirely, her legs once again resting down against the bedding, using her one hand to bring the skirt of her nightgown further down before slowly wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead.

"I'm sorry... I didn't tell you."  
She finally said after a few minutes of regaining some of her strength, looking to her son and giving his hand a weak squeeze.  
"I didn't want you to... find out."

Helping Amélie get as comfortable as she could, Alastor took a seat on the edge of the bed, falling silent, hearing Claire's footsteps walking around in the bathroom just across the hallway.

"You can't have thought that I wouldn't have found out eventually, surely?"  
He spoke, looking down at the woman.  
"What would you have done if nothing had worked? Would you have hidden a child from me too?"  
It was clear that Alastor was upset by his mother's choice of not telling him, but he knew that he had to stay calm and wait for a full explanation before coming to any solid conclusions.

Amélie shook her head.  
"I don't know what I would have done... but I wouldn't have kept it, that's for sure."  
She sighed.  
"I wouldn't... I-"  
She paused, needing a moment to collect her thoughts. There was too much being asked at once and she didn't know what to focus on first.  
"A widowed woman carrying the child of a dead man, Alastor. I wouldn't have you and that in the same house. My reputation would be ruined, not to mention I would have to stop working. I'm getting too old to have children as it is."

There was another pause, Amélie shamefully averting her gaze.  
"Just be glad this worked. It's gone now..."

Alastor took another breath, holding his head in his hands while he took everything in. He knew all of this hadn't been by his mother's choice. She'd made it very clear that her reputation was important to her. It was important to both of them. 

"I knew what he did to you was bad."  
Alastor paused, swallowing the lump that had began to form in his throat.  
"But if I had _known_ when he was alive that he'd done _this_ to you, Mama? I would have killed him myself."  
As Alastor spoke, he was undoubtedly and eerily serious. Every word, he meant. His mother may not have known it, but he did. One thing was for sure. If Anthony hadn't shot a bullet between dear Lawrence's eyes, Alastor would have done _much_ worse to the sorry excuse of a man.

Deciding to drop the difficult subject for now, Alastor took yet another breath, a hand running through his hair tiredly.  
"How are you feeling? Would you like a drink? Claire mentioned keeping you hydrated and comfortable."

Amélie closed her eyes and shook her head, unable to really speak. She hated that this was the extent she had to go to, but here she was.

"I feel better."  
The woman said softly, which was true, but she also felt worse.  
"I should be back to normal in no time."

Claire entered the room again, putting all of the medical tools back into the bag she'd brought along.  
"Given the size, I would say you were only twelve weeks along. Less than what you thought, luckily. What would you like to do with it?"  
The nurse asked.

Twelve weeks. This happened a mere week before Lawrence was killed. The odds of that were extremely unfortunate.

Alastor made sure to shut his mouth and not curse or say anything inappropriate around the two women as Claire explained how far along his mother had actually been. It broke his heart to know that all of this had been done just before Alastor and Anthony were told to kill Batallier. If Alastor had done as he planned and killed the man the first time around, then his mother wouldn't even be suffering through this right now.  
"I'm sorry Claire, I need to take a moment."

Standing from where he sat at the side of the bed, Alastor swiftly left his mother's room and moved into his own, grabbing his cigarette box and lighting one up with a tired sigh. He was stressed. Angry. Confused. Hurt.  
Even though Batallier was dead, Alastor _wished_ he'd been the one to take the kill. More than ever.

Amélie laid still, looking at the ceiling as Alastor excused himself. She knew this would be hard on him, but she was unaware of the extent.

Claire lowered her head, realizing that she probably shouldn't have said anything with the man present.  
"I'll put it in a box while you decide what you'd like to do."  
She said before excusing herself now as well. While she planned to do just as she said, she also wanted to speak to Alastor so he knew what to expect in terms of his mother's recovery.

Gently knocking upon his bedroom door, she waited, having no place to go walking into rooms she didn't belong.  
"Alastor? I'd like to speak to you, if I may."

Alastor was just quietly pacing across his room, a cigarette resting between his teeth as he did so. He would sit with his mother shortly, but his thoughts were still running rampant. Even if he wanted to, he doubted that he'd be able to sit still like this.

The knock on the door, as gentle as it was, still startled him, the man flinching as his neck turned to face said door.  
Taking the cigarette from his teeth, Alastor quickly opened the door, seeing Claire standing there.  
"Of course. I'm all ears."

The woman made sure to keep her voice quiet, looking up at the tall man.  
"Your mother is going to be alright. She should stay in bed for the next week though. Knowing her, she's going to try anyway, so I advise you to keep an eye on her as best as you can."  
She began.  
"I understand it's easier said than done, but all I can suggest is to have everything within arms reach as she shouldn't be lifting anything or reaching for anything either. It could take up to two months for her to properly heal from this. She may find herself in sudden depression spells as well. The loss of a child in any circumstance takes quite the toll."

Alastor carefully listened to what Claire was saying, taking note of everything, and knowing that his mother was going to be quite stubborn when it came to not wanting to be resting in bed for a week. Even so, he knew that she would be fine eventually.

The woman finished and paused.  
"Are _you_ going to be alright?"  
She then asked.

"I'll be fine. Mama's the one I'm more worried about, but thank you for your concern... and your advice." 

Claire gave a small nod.  
"If you need any help, please feel free to come to the hospital. We're all willing to help Amélie with anything she may need, and you as well."  
She then turned to prepare the aborted child for its burial.

He nodded, figuring he would sit with his mother for a while.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


•┈┈┈••✦ Safe to continue ✦••┈┈┈•

Amélie laid with her eyes closed when Alastor returned, exhausted from the pain she'd just gone through. She knew she was going to have questions and she knew it was going to be in her best interest to answer them.

After entering the room, Alastor carefully took a seat at his mother's bedside where a chair had been placed, taking a breath.  
He would wait until Claire had gone before he asked any questions, knowing that the matter was still somewhat private to his mother.

Looking across at the temporarily bedridden woman, Alastor slowly reached out to her, taking one of her hands again.  
"Are you alright?"  
He asked slowly.

Amélie slowly opened her eyes and brought a small smile to her face as she looked to her son.  
"Yes, dear. Just fine."  
She nodded as she gave Alastor's hand a squeeze.  
"I'm sorry to put you through this too... I didn't want you finding out."  
Her voice was soft and a little hoarse now.

Letting go of Amélie's hand for a second, Alastor grabbed a glass of water that had been placed on her nightstand, most likely by Claire earlier, and passed it over to his mother.  
"I'm more relieved that I know now. If something had happened and I hadn't known, then I would have been all the more confused."  
He explained.

Slowly and carefully propping herself up, Amélie winced a little but continued on, taking the glass.  
"Yes, I suppose."  
She replied softly before taking a few sips.

The nurse came back into the room holding a little white box in her hands.  
"Is there anything, in particular, you'd like to have done?"

Amélie shook her head and handed the glass back to Alastor.  
"No, simply be rid of it."

With a nod, Claire packed up her things.  
"Very well. I'll see you back at work in a few weeks then. I'll be coming by once in a while to check on you."  
She said as she grabbed her things and left the room to show herself out.

"Thank you for coming."  
Alastor nodded in Claire's direction as she left the room, closing the door on her way out.

He was silent for a few moments more, waiting until he could hear the nurse's footsteps walking down the staircase before he slowly spoke up again.  
"Did you always want children?"  
He carefully asked, looking up and over into his mother's eyes. It was a strange question, he knew, but he felt like some explanations on his mother's part were due.

Amélie paused, brows furrowing a little in confusion.  
"Yes."  
She slowly replied with a nod, carefully laying herself back down.  
"I've actually wanted many since I was a little girl."

It was a foolish question to ask since Alastor knew of his mother's desire to have had more children.  
"But you never did, did you... and I understand that father had something to do with that."  
Bringing up his father wasn't something that either of them did very often, and for good reason.  
"If he never wanted you to _have_ children, then why did you think that having me would solve his dislike for them?"

"I was jealous of my sister. You've never met her because she went off and had five beautiful children up in Mississippi. Whenever I got to see her, I got to see each child as well... oh, the joy they brought me..."  
Amélie was already in a fairly fragile state of mind and body, and talking about her sister along with Alastor's father wasn't exactly a good idea, but she knew she had to address some things.  
Slowly sitting herself up again, the woman turned to face her son, letting her legs hang off the side of the bed.  
"I was so desperate to have my own and I was already married to your father. I couldn't just leave him to find a man who _did_ want children."

Alastor looked down at his mother's legs, shaking his head.  
"You aren't to stand, Mama."  
He muttered, just in case she was thinking of doing so.

Alastor knew of his mother's older sister, of course, but he didn't know about the jealousy.  
"And when you first fell pregnant? I know you never speak of this, Mama, and I respect your decision if you do not wish to right now. I'm sure you've had enough on your mind today as it is; but at the same time, I would like to know."

Amélie knew that now was the only time she would be able to really talk about it while these memories were surfaced.  
"Alastor. There are things you need to understand. Your father was a fine man when I met him. The day that ring was put on my finger, things slowly began to take a turn, and when I told him about the first pregnancy, his true colors began to show. He did everything in his power to get rid of it."  
She began, her eyes not leaving the floor in front of her.  
"He hated the idea of having children and I thought that once I showed him the true joys of having one, he would get better and warm up to it."

She took her son's hands into her own and finally looked Alastor in the face, her eyes glossing over.  
"I made sure to keep you a secret until it was too late for him to do anything about it, but... the moment he saw you..."  
She had to pause again, squeezing his hands.  
"Things got to the point that... there was no escape and instead of always going after _me_ , he threatened to go after you."  
She had to pause again as she recounted the events.  
"You were upstairs in your bedroom, playing. I'd sent you up because he was due to be home any moment but you left one of your toys downstairs. He saw it and went completely out of his mind, about to go up and get you... I was tending to the fire at the time and had the iron poker in my hand. I used that to try to fight him away from the stairs but he grabbed me, so I then used it as self-defense."  
She tried to swallow the lump in her throat as a tear left her eye.  
"You weren't meant to come down and see his body. I wanted you to think that he simply left, never to return. With all of that, I made do with having only one child, but also at the cost of not being able to watch you grow up as a mother should."

It was a sensitive subject, one that Alastor had never known his mother to tell in full to him before. Of course, what she told anyone else that asked, was completely different. A robbery gone wrong was what she settled on calling her husband's death in the end.

As Alastor had said, he had very few memories of his father, that wasn't a lie, but all of the memories he did have, unfortunately, were not pleasant ones in the slightest. The man that he was before marrying his mother was nothing in comparison to the monster that he became afterward.

"Mama..."  
Alastor hushed, reaching up to wipe away the tears that fell from her eye with his thumb.  
"There's something you should know."  
Pushing back his memories to when he was young, he closed his eyes briefly.  
"The night it happened. You say I came down and saw his body lying there, as I remember, by the fire."  
But... that wasn't the case. In fact, Alastor had witnessed much more than just a body lying flat on the ground, and he'd never spoken a word of what he'd seen. Not even to Amélie herself.  
"I watched you do it. I watched it all."  
There were no tears that night as he watched his father being murdered by his mother, Alastor remembered well. It was cold, but it was successful in getting rid of the man, and from that point onwards, Alastor and his mother were happy.

"As you know, the words you said to me after, they stuck with me. So I'm telling you now, Mama. Once again. Smile. For me, _always_ stay smiling. It will be all okay."

Amélie's heart simply dropped once she heard the truth, her head lowering and eyes closing as more tears fell.  
"This wasn't the life I wanted for us..."  
She whispered, unable to bring herself to smile. Not when she was reliving her horrid past with her husband.  
"This wasn't how I wanted things to be."

Slowly standing from the chair, Alastor stepped across to sit beside Amélie on the edge of her bed again, bringing a hesitant arm around her shoulders.  
"But it's a life without _him_. Isn't that what you wanted to begin with? You having killed him may have come with the consequences of you having to take his place as the head of the house, finding work, but isn't him not being around anymore, just swell? Why, I'd say that things worked out just fine, Mama."

She did see his point and did appreciate his words, but there was something else that she wasn't ever going to mention. Something she would take to her grave, so, biting her tongue, Amélie lifted her head and leaned into Alastor a little, a small smile finally pulling at the corners of her mouth.  
"You're right... we're better off this way."

Closing his eyes for a moment, Alastor slowly nodded.  
"I apologize for not being there for you as you went through all of this. If I had known, I would have done more."  
As much as Alastor didn't want to leave his mother's side tonight, his rising anger towards two dead men was slowly simmering and he felt like in order to cool down, he had to go out to get some air. Even if for a mere hour.

Amélie shook her head with a small sigh.  
"Alastor, my sweet child. You're a precious gift and couldn't be more proud of you."  
She began.  
"You are the brightest star in the sky to ever shine and bless this earth with your light, and for that, I am forever grateful. You're doing so much just by being here with me."  
She said as she reached up, beginning to carefully rake her fingers through his soft, brown locks of hair.

Alastor held his eyes closed for a few more moments, feeling his mother's fingers gently carding through his hair. Her words finally made that usual smile of his return to his face, the man slowly looking up at her again, eyes opening. While he was positive that her words were quite untrue- he was far from being someone who blessed the earth- he appreciated the words nonetheless, enjoying the moment between them.

"Thank you, Mama."  
He spoke after a while, letting his mother go and helping her sit back a little.  
"I don't wish to leave you, however, I must get some air. Will you rest for me? I promise to sit by you tonight and bring you all that you need. Claire has told me you are not to get up for anything."

Amélie slowly nodded, lowering her hand again and sat up properly.  
"Of course. As always, be careful out there."  
She said as she grabbed the glass of water.  
"Before you go, fetch my stitching and a book for me? Just in case you're a while."  
She asked before taking a sip of water and set the glass down again, shifting to lay back down.

Admittedly, she was exhausted and would likely end up falling asleep within thirty minutes. That would also depend on the cramping she'd be experiencing for a while yet.

Standing with a nod, Alastor made his way over to the small vanity table in the corner of the room and scooped up a book that had a bookmark within the pages, one he presumed his mother was reading. As for her stitching, it was just out of reach on the table where Amélie's water had been.

Passing both items over to his mother, Alastor gave her one more smile before making his way to the door.  
"Like I said, please rest for me, Mama. I promise to not be long."

The woman adjusted her pillows so she would be able to sit back against something soft, setting the book down beside her. Amélie understood that she needed to rest and she would do her best to follow those guidelines for the first day or two. After that, she couldn't make any promises.

"Thank you, Alastor. Again, I'm sorry for bringing you into this mess."  
She said as she slowly started setting her stitching up, leaning back into her pillows.

Nodding once more, Alastor quietly left the room to let his mother rest, closing the door gently behind him and walking across the small hallway to his own room. He still had yet to change from work, and there were a few things he had to do before he was to head out shortly.

Once the door had been closed and the man was in his room, he quietly sat down on the chair at his desk, elbows resting on the wood as he held his face in his palms for a few minutes. Simply sitting. It had indeed been a stressful day.

Minutes passed until eventually Alastor looked up and began to open one of the drawers of his desk, rummaging around before pausing with a frown. The book he had been writing in as of late wasn't there.  
Standing from the chair, he quickly scanned his room, looking on the small table beside his bed, the windowsill until eventually- thankfully, he found the book. Strangely, it was in a place that even _he_ couldn't usually reach without having to stand on his chair. On the very top of his bookshelf, he could see the edge of his book peeking out. Strange.

After reaching his book with the aid of having his chair, Alastor sat back at his desk, flicking through said book to see if anything had changed. Thankfully, no. Everything was as it had been.

It was around half an hour later that Alastor then left his room, having been writing in his book and then changing into more suitable clothing. He didn't have a specific plan as to where he wanted to walk to, but he knew one thing for sure. With the simmering anger, stress, paired with a strange lingering calm front he felt at the time of stepping out his home, the walk wasn't simply going to be just that.  
  
  


It was getting rather late and Rosie sat in the lounge, silently reading. Madeline had retired for the evening only ten minutes prior.

It wasn't long before there was a knock at the door, the woman setting the book down and standing from her chair.  
She made sure to straighten out her skirt before opening the door.

"Oh, Alastor. I wasn't expecting you."  
Rosie said, raising a brow slightly.  
"Is everything alright?"  
She asked, noticing something was off about him this evening.

Alastor stood tall as the woman opened the door, his chin raising as he calmly nodded, hands hidden behind his back slightly.  
"Good evening, Rosie."  
He spoke slowly, something definitely off about him.

Stepping into the home, the man quietly looked around for a clock that was on the wall. Given the time, it was safe to say that Madeline was asleep.

Rosie closed the door after a moment, watching him closely as she looked him up and down once.  
"Something happened."  
She stated, reading his silence as she moved back into the lounge, sitting back down.  
"I'm all ears once again, my dear."  
She nodded to the seat across from her.

As Alastor followed Rosie into the lounge and sat down, he brought his hands around from behind his back and into his lap, beginning to remove the black leather gloves from his fingers, a clear indication of what he had been doing out in the first place.

"I suppose there is much to be said."  
He muttered quietly, removing the gloves and tucking them away neatly in his inner jacket pocket.

"Before we begin, would you like if I put the kettle on?"  
She asked. He seemed to be shaken up or that something had gone wrong. If she made some tea, it would give him time to gather his thoughts if he was still sorting them out.

Alastor nodded at that, still silently keeping his gaze down to the ground. Something had indeed happened when he was out, and while he wasn't worried, it still shocked him along with everything that had happened earlier.

Rosie nodded and stood, excusing herself to go to the kitchen and start boiling the water.  
"Take all the time you need, Alastor. We have all night if you need it."  
She said before leaving him to his thoughts.

"I can't stay too long, Rosie."  
Alastor called, figuring he'd let her know. In due time he'd tell her about his mother, but as Alastor had promised Amélie herself, he would sit with her that night.

As the woman went off to start boiling the water, Alastor sat back in the chair slightly, crossing a leg, a rare sort of frown on his face.

Rosie was gone for about ten minutes, making the tea for both of them and bringing it back out to the man.  
She was starting to worry about him. She had never been this quiet and shaken.

Setting one of the cups down in front of Alastor, Rosie sat back down and held her own cup in her hands.  
"Why don't you start from the very beginning. What happened that got you so frazzled? Was it something that happened at work? Or perhaps just before you came here?"

When Rosie returned and set the tea down, Alastor hadn't moved, in fact, his gaze was still very much on the floor.  
"Thank you."  
He nodded, reaching across to take the cup of tea.  
"I let one get away."  
He finally spoke after a while of silence, the man sipping lightly at the hot beverage.  
"I set out to kill one, and I let her get away."

Rosie was about to take a sip from her cup but stopped, pausing before slowly lowering the cup again.  
This was the first time in a very long time that something like this had happened. Of course, there were going to be times when the victim was either too strong or too slippery to get a proper hold on, but this hadn't happened before for Alastor.

"Tell me about the interaction. What happened?"

"Rosie, you must know, I haven't been in the best state of mind today, and that undoubtedly contributed towards me letting this one escape."  
Alastor sighed, clearly troubled by this encounter.  
"It was a young woman, and I might have been quite foolish to follow her for as long as I did. But as I said, my mind has not been the right place today."  
He began, eyes narrowing as he took another sip of his drink.

Rosie set her cup aside for now, giving him her full attention.  
"Let's step back briefly. What was on your mind? Did you just have a bad day? Did someone say something to you that upset you?"

Sighing again, realizing that he hadn't even _told_ Rosie why he was irritated and upset that day.  
"I came home this afternoon to find a nurse from the hospital helping my mother terminate a pregnancy. A pregnancy in which I was not even _slightly_ aware of, and I'm sure it won't take many guesses to figure out who did that to my dear mother."  
Clearly, he was upset. His tone said it all.

Rosie's brows raised, blinking a few times. That was the last thing she could have come up with on her own to be the source of his irritation, however, it didn't hit her as _impossible_. She was well aware of the kind of man Lawrence Batallier was.

"My goodness... well, that certainly is something to unpack."  
She said softly.  
"Would you like to talk about that for a few minutes? Or get right to your failed attempt?"

Alastor paused again, shaking his head. There were still some things that he needed to process in his mind before speaking them and talking about them aloud. In due time he would discuss with her, but for now, it could wait.  
"No, I still need to gather my thoughts in regards to that situation. I promised Mama I would return shortly to watch over her as she rests, so I cannot stop long I'm afraid, but I would like your advice on what to do in regards to my... _failed_ attempt."

Giving a nod, Rosie took a breath and smoothed her skirt a bit.  
"I suppose first thing is first. Did she get a good look at your face? This is important."

Alastor nodded at that, rolling his eyes.  
"Yes, I'm quite sure she saw my face, and I don't believe she is someone I recognize, which is at least a good thing."  
Alastor explained.

"Were you in a well-lit area?"  
Rosie sighed, knowing this whole situation could quite possibly end very badly if things played a certain way.

"No. There were no streetlamps present, I at least made sure of that."  
He continued on, knowing very well that this could be bad for him if the woman was to tell anybody of what happened.

"Then there is the possibility she _didn't_ get a decent look at you, which is good."  
The woman nodded as she brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose. She was a bit irritated by the means of this.  
"Run me through the entire thing. Right from the time you decided she would be your target to the time she got away. Every detail, if you please."

There was that too, and Alastor could tell that this was quite the stressful situation for Rosie too. But, perhaps if he told what happened, then she could help with a solution.  
"I had just stepped off of the streetcar after arriving in the French Quarter, and my mind was quite muddled. I walked around for a few minutes, looking around for someone who would be an easy target, I just needed something to take my mind off it all. The woman had just left a restaurant I believe, I was watching from across the way as she waved a presumable friend goodbye and began to walk away. That was when I decided she would be an easy target."

Alastor, as Rosie was aware of, hated losing almost as much as she did. So for him to let a victim actually escape? Well, that was quite something.  
"I began quietly following behind for longer than I should have. The main street was well lit, so I wanted to keep following until she came to a darker area. I took into account any passing automobiles, people that might be watching and anyone out on the streets in general, but it seemed to not be enough. I cornered her down a darkened alleyway and drew the knife after putting on my gloves. I'm not particularly sure what happened, but something distracted me- I don't even remember _what_ it was that distracted me, but the next thing I know, she's hit me around the head with her bag, looking right into my eyes and is running off. There was no doubt that she saw the knife. I was careless. That's on me, Rosie darling."

Rosie listened closely, picturing the scene in her own mind as it was explained to her.  
"If it's the same alleyway I'm thinking of, I think you might be in the clear. The one near the docks, correct? If you cornered her with your back to the street, there is no way she could have gotten a good enough look at you with how dark it is down there. Even still, you should take better care and be prepared for a visit from the police."  
She sighed, finally picking up her cup of tea and taking a sip.

Alastor understood all that the woman was saying, and it was a good thing she understood the area he was describing because she was correct, it was by the docks.  
"Yes, the docks."  
Alastor confirmed with a nod, sipping at his drink once more. He could only hope that the low light was in his favor and that he would be receiving no knocks at the door from the police any time soon. His mother couldn't deal with that added stress right now.

Rosie was right though. He had a lot on his mind that evening and it was extremely foolish of him to have been so careless and to have let himself be distracted by whatever it was. But there was something else too.

"I understand you have a lot on your mind that is indefinitely calling for your attention, and in these instances you must step back from your urges to process, that way you can have a clear mind when you go back in to take your frustrations out. It's dangerous to kill when you're freshly exposed to possibly harmful information."  
The woman explained.  
"This is an addiction we have, but like all other addictions, there is a time and a place for it... and may very well consume our very beings."

"Well then, what if I _know_ my addiction is getting worse? What if I know that there is someone in my life that it scares. What then? It is _always_ dangerous to kill, but that's the fun part, is it not?"  
Alastor had growing issues of his own, ones that brought his mind right back to when Anthony had first seen him kill. He was afraid; and Alastor still, even now, feared that would always be the case.

Rosie looked into her cup.  
"Well, it's also the fight you have to struggle with as well. You've got to keep control over it or it will consume you entirely, drowning out any plea to reason no matter how dire or who it is you're taking down with you. Remain in control of it or it'll overlook boundaries and take the ones you hold most dear as well."  
She explained before taking a sip of her tea.  
"It's going to be extremely difficult, but you must."

"I _have_ control, Rosie."  
Alastor couldn't help but roll his eyes a little at that. He understood that what he had done that evening perhaps wasn't one of his greatest or brightest moments, however that didn't mean he didn't have control. He had plenty of it.  
"I take the life of another as and when I want, and I usually know when to stop or when it is foolish to continue. However, tonight I was distracted. Even _I_ have boundaries."

Rosie shook her head a little.

"You're still young and naive, Alastor."  
She stated.  
"This addiction, like all others, may start out small, but it will grow to the point the reigns you have on it will snap and it will drag you through the dirt. You may have control _now_ , but if you keep the mindset you have now, your addiction will prove you very, _very_ wrong."

"I may still be young, and perhaps with age, I will be more like yourself. Call me a fool if you wish, but believe me, I know that addiction grows the more you cater to it. My mindset is fine, Rosie. I simply had a bad day today. What about my mindset do _you_ think is wrong?"  
Most days, Alastor wholeheartedly agreed with anything that Rosie said and did, having near enough similar morals and thoughts as to her, but this irked him and made him shake his head in disagreement.

Rosie simply shook her head, knowing that no matter what she said at this time, Alastor wouldn't see to reason.  
"Just know that I won't be around forever to help you through these trails. You can either listen to the warnings and advice I provide or you can learn on your own, but I assure you, learning on your own isn't a game you want to play."  
She then gave a small laugh.  
"Why, it's no game _at all_."

"Most people learn on their own, Rosie. I suppose I am simply fortunate that I have you around."  
And that was the truth. Rosie had taught him so much over the years, and deep down Alastor was eternally grateful for that.

"Anything can be a game if you're willing to _play_. You'll be surprised at how entertaining things can get when you think of it that way."  
He continued, raising his chin slightly as he reached across to place his finished cup down on the side table.

Rosie had so much to say about this topic but knew nothing was going to get through at this time, or possibly ever, and she feared that this was going to be his undoing.  
"Of course."  
She nodded, finishing her cup of tea before setting it aside. It frustrated her to know that this topic was being taken so lightly, but understood that this was how Alastor learned.  
"Now, was there anything else?"

Alastor could read that Rosie wasn't exactly pleased by this conversation, but there was nothing he could do about that. They didn't _always_ agree on things after all.  
"No, I don't believe there is anything else. My concerns that I have voiced to you are the only things that have been weighing on me this evening."  
Of course, there were other things that weighed down on him, but they were of no importance right now. Anthony for example. Alastor knew that his letter would arrive eventually.

"Thank you for the tea, Rosie darling. Now, if you do excuse me, I must be on my way."

The woman nodded, taking a deep breath as she want to pick her teacup up again but when she looked over, the cup had gone entirely.  
"Oh, honestly..."  
She tutted, looking across the room at the half-moon table that sat near the door; the teacup there right beside the vase that sat on said table.  
"Do tell your friend that it's rude to be using my home as a playground when clearly it wasn't given permission. It's very rude."  
She said as she stood from her seat and made her way over to retrieve the cup.

Alastor was just about to stand to make his way to the door when Rosie spoke, causing the man to stay seated and watch in much confusion as she grabbed her teacup from the table that was across the room.  
"Excuse me?"  
Alastor pressed with something of a scoff, briefly looking behind him to see what on earth she was talking about; but nothing was there.

"Are you feeling alright?"  
He didn't want to be rude himself, but he was completely bewildered by Rosie's strange words. Perhaps she was playing a mere prank on the man?  
"It _is_ quite late, you should get some rest."

"Oh, Alastor, please. You've had it following you for a while now and you haven't even mentioned it. Either you've forgotten to give it rules or you've forgotten it entirely."  
Rosie replied as she picked up the cup and brought it back to where she had been sitting.  
"I'm sure it doesn't behave this way at your house."

Alastor paused a moment, brows furrowing in thought as he once again glanced over his shoulder, scanning the otherwise blank wall behind him; but still, he saw nothing.  
"What's following me? Why Rosie, you've gone mad, haha!"  
Standing now from the chair, brushing his suit down with a lighthearted grin, he once more, for safe measure, checked behind him. Once again, just a blank wall.  
"I haven't the faintest idea what you're going on about. Not to be rude, but perhaps your mind at your age is... making things up."

Rosie's eyes narrowed, folding her arms over her chest as she gave the man a look that could near kill.  
"When you played around with that book of yours last, did you happen to tell your summoning to leave? Or did you miss that part and continue on your merry little way. I'm guessing the latter."  
She sighed and shook her head.

Alastor had to double-take almost, blinking a little more than usual as he processed Rosie's words that yes, hit the nail right on the head. He knew very well what he had done, but so far, nothing notable had come of it. That and the fact that the encounter he'd had with... whatever it was, _was_ both unnatural, unexplainable, and quite frankly almost terrifying.  
"I'm not an imbecile, Rosie. I do know what I did, and right now I do not wish to speak of such matters. Now, again, if you'll excuse me I must be on my way."  
Moving to exit the lounge, Alastor couldn't help but glance over his shoulder for another time.

Truth be told, ever since the summoning of the entity, Alastor hadn't thought much about it. What had happened was unusual, yes, but as he mentioned- nothing had come from it thus far. He had forgotten to tell the entity to leave but presumed it had done so on its own, but the woman's words suddenly suggested otherwise and he wasn't sure what was to be done. The answers were in the book, but ever since he'd summoned the entity, he hadn't touched the book. Perhaps out of fear or worry, he didn't know.

Rosie simply nodded, walking back over to the door.  
"Right. Well, something to work on with your friend would be communication and manners."  
She stated before moving off of the topic as she opened the door for Alastor.  
"Do keep an eye on your mother and make sure she is well."

Communication and manners. If this entity really _did_ exist, then communication should have been one of the first things Alastor did. However, he hadn't noticed it before, and suddenly Rosie says she's been seeing it for a while?  
"Uh, yes. I will."  
Alastor nodded as he was shown to the door with yet another thing added to the list of things he needed to think about.  
"Goodnight Rosie."  
With that, he stepped out, looking back over his shoulder one more time.

"Good night, Alastor."  
Rosie gave a nod, about to shut the door but paused.  
"Out with you too."  
She said to the air behind her.

There was a moment of nothing before the hint of a shadow could be seen exiting through the door and out into the night.  
"Unbelievable. Honestly."  
She muttered as she finally closed the door.

The floor closed and Alastor was once again surrounded by near silence, the street ahead lit by only a few street lamps.  
Before he'd left Rosie's, he'd taken note of the clock on the wall and seen how late it was. If there was a possibility of him being questioned by police, then he thought it would probably be smart of him to not be seen very much this late.  
And so, Alastor began to walk in the direction he usually did and towards the streetcar stop.

By this point, the streets were much more desolate then they had been and Alastor walked slowly down them, weighed down by both his thoughts and the premise of this supposed entity. One that the more he thought about, the more the supernatural possibility seemed more likely. Rosie had a way of convincing, even if she wasn't around. Her words usually lingered.

The streetcar stop was near when Alastor suddenly felt a cold chill wash over him, compelling him to halt in his tracks. As he turned to look beside him into the window of a darkened bakery, through the dimly lit reflection of the glass Alastor saw himself and another. A clear shadow of a figure stood behind him now, laughing silently to itself as it placed a hand upon Alastor's shoulder and slowly leaned towards him. 

"She knows now..."  
The voice sounded out more inside his head than anything, wispy and quiet yet loud and completely audible to him. The words for some reason didn't confuse him either. In fact, he was feeling quite calm as it was. 

"Rosie is fine. I trust her."  
Was all Alastor replied slowly as he continued on his way, slightly reasoning in his mind that the fact that he was just talking to a _shadowed entity_ didn't make him insane.

Alastor when he arrived home wasn't feeling hungry if he was honest, however would be more than willing to make anything for his mother if she was awake at that hour, but hopefully, she wasn't- it was quite late.  
After walking up to his mother's room and seeing no light coming from underneath the door, Alastor quietly opened the door, smiling to himself as he spotted his mother sound asleep, book on her chest.

The events of the day had been extreme and were taking their toll on the poor woman. Just another added stress was going to result in more physical and emotional trauma whether she wanted to admit to it or not.

"Goodnight Mama."  
Alastor whispered, taking the book and placing it to the side before he took a seat in the chair by her bedside, resting his eyes.


	35. Chapter 35

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Tuesday, July 12, 1921  
New York City  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Now July, Anthony had gone the last three months without hearing anything from Alastor. It was a little disheartening and it was getting harder for him to keep his spirits up.   
His recovery was rather slow as the concussion took him a week to return to the usual routine; with limits, of course. His hand took its sweet time, still in the process. He was struggling to close his hand into a fist and it was constantly shaking. Some days it was subtler and others it was more violent and obvious.

As time continued on, it became more and more clear that the letters were the only thing truly holding Anthony together. He found himself often rereading the two previous letters late at night. He would have done more painting and sketching to pass the time, but he still wasn't able to use his hand, so even if he _had_ received any letters, he wouldn't be able to write back.

Now it was late at night, Giovanni was told to take Anthony out to see if he would be able to shoot a gun yet for a hit.   
Henry still seemed unfazed by the trauma he'd caused his youngest son, having no remorse whatsoever and seemingly back to his usual self now that it had been a few months for him to recover from the anniversary.

"Think y' could light a gasper for me?"  
Anthony spoke as he and his brother stood in an alleyway, waiting for their target to come through.

Giovanni was a little shocked as his brother used his voice. He had been extremely quiet since the incident, using small hand gestures and head movements to communicate.  
Reaching into his pocket, the eldest brother handed a cigarette off and pulled out his lighter, lighting it once it was between his brother's teeth.

"Listen, kid, if y' ain't ready for this, just say so and I'll tell dad myself."  
He finally spoke.  
"I know y' can't even hold a pen so I d-"

"I'm fine. I got nothin' else t' do with my life and I need t' get back out here eventually."  
Anthony replied, keeping his eyes on the ground as he took a drag.

"Anthony. Y' can't even hold a pen. How do you expect t' hold a gun?"

"I'll figure it out, Gio. Get offa my ass."

There was silence between them now as the city noise continued on around them.   
Giovanni reached into his holster that was hidden under his suit jacket and held it out to his younger brother.  
"Don't take the lock off, but aim it at somethin'."

Anthony looked at the gun for a moment. It had been a while since he'd held one and he knew that this was a test to see if his hand could handle it.  
Taking it with a sigh, he did his best to hold it as he normally would have before his hand got crushed. As he held the grip and put his index finger beside the trigger, it hurt just from how heavy it was and to have his hand in such a position, thus causing his hand to shake.  
Gritting his teeth, he held the bottom of the grip with his left hand in hopes of steadying himself but even that didn't work.

Giovanni sighed upon seeing that Anthony was still very unstable and still not fully recovered to no one's surprise.   
He held his hand out to receive the gun again, Anthony disappointedly complying in giving it back.

"Y' ain't ready. I'll take this one. You gotta work on that a little more b'fore y' can handle bein' heeled again."

Anthony sighed and looked down at his hand that was still shaking away. This was frustrating because he craved this control in his life again. He needed to feel like he had control over something. _Anything_. Even if it was just being able to write.

"Just go back t' the machine and wait for me. I'll make sure dad knows y' can't work yet."  
Giovanni said as he put his gun back and handed the key over.

Anthony quietly took the key and started walking out of the alleyway, making sure he wasn't being suspicious as he walked back to the car and got in to begin his wait, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

The first thought to come to mind was Alastor. He was becoming worried about him. It had been three months since he last got a reply from him, leaving Anthony to wonder if maybe he'd gotten caught for a murder and sent to prison or maybe he just simply lost interest, seeing no desire to continue writing. Maybe something had happened to Amélie and he wasn't able to write.   
There were too many possibilities and it was driving him insane with worry. There was nothing he could do about it either. He wanted to write and see that everything was alright but at the same time, Molly would have to write for him if he were to follow through with that. He also didn't want to send a letter and then have one from Alastor show up the next day.  
There was just so much going on.

Giovanni took nearly an hour before returning to the car, calm and collected as usual. Once in the driver's seat, he turned the car on and looked across at his younger brother, seeing that he was distracted by his own thoughts so decided it best to stay quiet and just drive home.

Anthony went right up to his bedroom once they arrived, shutting the door behind him and kicked his shoes off before crawling into bed. He didn't care to change out of his suit.

Giovanni sighed and went straight to Henry's office to give him the update on Anthony's situation in terms of his hand before possibly retiring for the evening himself.  
  
  


In the months that had passed, while it was all quite quiet, Molly had been quieter than usual as well. The incident that had happened to her on their mother's anniversary hadn't been spoken of or explained in any way on her part, despite the numerous interrogation type of conversations both Henry and Giovanni had with her afterward.

As for Anthony? Molly found that he was getting seemingly more and more depressed as the weeks went on. With his hand healing slowly, the trauma he'd experienced from his father _and_ the no visible letters coming in from Alastor, Molly didn't blame him for being so distant and upset, but there was another factor to one of Anthony's problems... one that Molly was increasingly feeling guilt over with every passing day.

Most Tuesdays Molly spent the majority of the evening ironing and folding any clothes she'd spent most of Monday washing for the whole family. It was a tedious task, but since it was done weekly, Molly had learned to get quick at it more or less.

Usually, she would have been in her room asleep at that time of the evening, but just as she was heading up the stairs to retire for the night, she spotted Giovanni heading up as well.

"How'd it go?"   
Molly asked quietly, glancing over her shoulder at Giovanni as she reached the top of the stairs. She knew that she wasn't really supposed to be asking about any sort of business that happened between the men, but she knew that this was one of Anthony's first times back out again after his injuries, so she wanted to know how it had gone.   
"Was he alright? I heard him goin' up the stairs about ten minutes ago."

Giovanni paused in his tracks, shaking his head.  
"It ain't good. Pops is gettin' real sick of this. Tony can't even hold a pen without hurtin' himself. I dunno what he was thinkin' sendin' him out for a hit."  
His tone was soft from once, almost worried.  
"Y' gotta do somethin'. I dunno what but he's gotta get the motivation t' get better. I dunno what'll happen otherwise."

Continuing up the stairs, Giovanni had nothing more to say as he walked down the hall and to his bedroom at the very end and to the left, right across from their father's bedroom.

Molly listened silently to her older brother, her hopeful expression falling as he spoke, telling her what she feared would be true. The longer Anthony was like this, the more chance there was of their father getting after him again. Something had to be done. She knew what she had to do. It was going to undoubtedly hurt her brother, but in the long run, it would help him.

Making the quick stop off at her own bedroom and opening one of the drawers to her vanity, Molly hastily grabbed a few things, holding them behind her back before exiting her room and quietly knocking on the door of her twin brother.   
"Tony?"   
She gently called.   
"I wanna talk. I heard how y' hit went. I'm sorry it didn't go how y' thought."

Anthony laid staring at his wall when Molly knocked. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to sleep so he pulled himself together to talk, or rather listen, to his sister.  
Making his way to the door, he straightened himself out as best as he could before opening it. He then gestured for her to enter, staying silent.  
He still didn't have much to say about anything, even to her.

Molly made sure to keep the items behind her back as she entered the room and sat down on the edge of Anthony's bed, patting the space beside her. She didn't want him jumping to any conclusions before she'd even spoken, of course. 

"How's your hand doin'? From the last time I asked, at least."   
She chuckled slightly at that, trying to lighten the mood. She knew very well that it could take six weeks or more for Anthony's hand to heal properly, but even after then, it would still ache.

Anthony closed the door before joining Molly, sitting down beside her with his eyes staying on the floor.  
"Not great."  
He said with a bit of a shrug. 

There were a few more moments of silence before Molly spoke up again.   
"Look... y' gotta get better again, Tony. I know it's hard and you're upset still, I understand, but Papa ain't liking the fact that you're still like this and y' need to cheer up somehow."   
Clutching the items behind her back a little tighter, Molly took in a small breath.  
"There's somethin'... there's somethin' I need to tell ya. I've been hidin' it, and it ain't right."

Anthony slowly shook his head after listening to her.  
"Whatever it is, it probably ain't gunna do nothin'. I just gotta work harder on my hand exercises and I'll be fine."  
He replied as he looked down at his hand, slowly and carefully opening and closing a fist without straining himself.  
"I appreciate the concern, but I'm just gunna accept that what happened, happened, and whatever's gunna happen is gunna happen."

Sighing again, Molly shook her head too.   
"I thought this would be best for you. After what happened with Papa, I didn't want ya hurt anymore... but I have these for you now and I'm givin' them to you because you're upset, Tony. And it's okay to be upset sometimes, but I don't like seeing you that way _all_ the time."

Slowly, with her bottom lip being bitten slightly out of a sort of nervousness, Molly revealed what she'd been hiding behind her back. Clutched in her hand were four letters, all addressed to Anthony with a stamp that indicated they had come from New Orleans.  
"I'm sorry Tony... I feel horrible for hidin' them from you."

Anthony took his time looking over, skeptical that what she had to offer was going to help him but once he saw the envelopes and the familiar handwriting, his heart lifted and sank simultaneously.  
It made him happy to see that Alastor was okay after all, but was also kind of upset that his sister had hidden them from him and noticed that one of them had been opened.

He felt tears threaten his eyes immediately, feeling not only betrayed but also scared. He didn't know what was written in that letter and it frightened him to think that it was something that was either clear or at least hinted towards the relationship between himself and Alastor.

"You..."  
He couldn't even speak, all of the words having shattered into tiny fragments.

Molly felt her heart almost breaking as she watched her brother's expression and the tears and the pain that was clearly displayed upon his tired face.

"Tony, I didn't- I d- I'm... sorry."   
She didn't know what to say. There was no use trying to make this situation seem better than what it was. It was bad, she knew.

Slowly reaching out for her brother, Molly's eyes glanced down to the one letter that had been opened.   
"I only read the one, I promise... but I have a good explanation, I really do, and I know this is inexcusable, but please listen to my reasonin'."

Anthony shook and lowered his head, bringing his hands up to carefully run through his hair, slouching forward a little. He had to fight to keep himself from completely losing himself in the river of tears that slowly began to form and trickle down his cheeks.

"Y' think it's wrong, don't 'cha. Two men writin' to each other."  
He sniffed.  
"That's why y' did it. Ain't it."

Molly's eyes widened a little at that as she shook her head again, placing a hand to Anthony's shoulder.   
"Tony _no_ , I'd never think that. Please don't cry."   
Quickly reaching into her pocket, Molly pulled out a handkerchief she had in there, gently moving to wipe at her brother's tears.   
"Anthony, I _love_ you and I don't want ya gettin' hurt... I know about you and Alastor. And it wasn't through reading that letter. I had a feelin' the moment you first mentioned him when y' came back..."

Anthony turned his head and leaned away from her.  
"What's the reason then, huh? If y' knew, why would y' hide this from me? If y' were worried, y' shoulda told me so we could figure it out and find a better place t' hide 'em or whatever it was."  
He said as he wiped his own tears with his sleeve.

Molly lowered her head into her hands for a moment, letting out another sigh.   
"I didn't know for sure, and I wanted to let y' come out and say it on your own. But you're a terrible liar sometimes, Tony."  
Now she supposed it was time for her explanation. Her brother had every right to be mad, but she hoped that if she explained, then hopefully his anger wouldn't be as much.

"I didn't do it 'cause I don't like the fact y' writing to another man. I did it as I said, 'cause I don't want y' gettin' hurt... hurt like... like I did."

Anthony had to pause, looking his sister in the eyes.  
"Who hurt 'cha? When d-..."  
He stopped.

That morning he found her curled up on the side of the road after visiting that seamstress. She hadn't been out since to his knowledge and she was pretty torn up about everything that had followed. She didn't talk about what happened with anyone either, that much he was sure of.

Molly looked across at Anthony as she raised her head from her hands. Her eyes said it all.   
"I'm sure y' know when."   
She sighed, running a hand through her hair now.   
"It's my fault that I got hurt. I know it. And I regret it, but I don't want y' goin' through _anything_ similar. Ever. I care too much about'cha."

His brows came together, eyes scanning her face as if he was trying to read her story like it was written on her features.  
"Tell me what happened. I'll get my hand workin' again just t' go shoot whoever it was that hurt you."  
Now he was dead serious. The hidden letters didn't matter right now. He would get to those soon but right now, Molly was his main priority.

She knew that this would happen. If she said anything about getting hurt, then someone in her family would be out for blood immediately after hearing it.   
"Tony, come on. This was weeks ago now."   
Pausing for a few more moments to gather her thoughts, Molly continued.   
"So I went to Nancy's house, the seamstress, as you know. And it was good, I was havin' a _great_ time. She made food and we were just talkin' together and having a nice evening."   
That's how it started at least.

"The more we talked though, she kept givin' me this... _look_? Similar to what she gave me in the dress store. And... I dunno, I guess I thought it meant somethin'."  
Stopping for a pause, Molly scrunched her handkerchief back up and stuffed it into her pocket again.   
"It got late and Nance said I could stay the night if I wanted. I got comfortable on her couch, and she joined me. We were talkin' for a bit longer and then like the _idiot_ I am, I moved in to kiss her... talk about _not_ readin' the damn room. But that wasn't what upset me really since she kinda... kissed back. For a bit at least, until we heard the front door openin'. I dunno who he was. Probably her damn boyfriend, but it wasn't good. She ran to him, and he was furious."   
Shaking her head, Molly leaned a little closer to Anthony, trying to keep it all together.

"She was shoutin' at me, he was shoutin' at me, telling me to get out of his damn house. Oh, the things they were sayin' to me, calling me _horrible_ things. I woulda pushed him offa me when he grabbed me hard and threw me out, but I was just scared."

By the end of her explanation, her voice was small and she'd hunched in on herself again, holding her head in her palms, shoulders tense.   
"I just wanted a friend, Tony..."

Anthony made sure to keep his nerves as calm as he could possibly keep them, listening to every word as if his life depended on it.  
He sat silently for a few moments before moving closer to her, carefully wrapping an arm around her.

"I know..."  
He sighed, keeping his voice soft.  
"I know it's hard, Ria... and it ain't fair... but y' shoulda told me. Y' know I'm here t' protect ya and I told ya I would still love ya no matter who y' liked..."  
He gave her a careful squeeze and shook his head.  
"Damn it, why didn't 'cha tell me sooner?"

Crying softly now, Molly leaned into her brother gently, letting him hug her.   
"It hurts Tony... and I don't want you t' be hurt by Alastor either. I dunno what I was thinkin' hiding those letters from you, but I thought it would be an easy letdown..."

Molly worried that if she told anyone, well, there were an infinite amount of possibilities that could come from it- the majority being bad. So she simply found it easier to not say anything.

Anthony shook his head slowly.  
"Al and I came to an agreement. He ain't sure how he feels yet, so I told him that if he ever found that he lost interest or wanted t' stop contactin' me, all he had t' do was tell me. We shared a lot t'gether and we made things perfectly clear to each other."  
He then gave a small chuckle, something that hadn't happened in months.  
"I know I ain't the brightest sometimes, but I'm pretty sure I got this one under control. I'm gunna take care of you too though."  
He paused to sniff.  
"You do everythin' around here, takin' care of us dolts all damn day. Y' know I'm here t' make sure you're taken care of too."

Nodding softly, Molly let a small smile cross her face, her nose and eyes still red from crying.   
"I'm happy y' found someone like Al... I really am. He sounds real special t' ya."   
She might have been a little sad that Anthony hadn't told her sooner about his true relationship with the man, but she could understand. This wasn't a world where that was allowed.  
"And again, I'm sorry I hid those letters from ya. It was wrong of me, and I'll promise to make it up t' ya."

"I think y' had a good enough reason to."  
Anthony sighed.  
"Kinda makes my life easier now that 'cha know too... God, I'm sorry all this happened... if I just told ya everythin' we might be better off..."

"I swear I only read that one letter there. The rest are still sealed and for your eyes only."   
Molly nodded, pulling her handkerchief back out again to wipe at her nose.   
"Thanks for listenin'... I know I can always talk to ya... but I should head back to my room now, it's pretty late."

Anthony took a breath and let her go, nodding slowly.  
"If you're tired, sure. If not, y' could stay here and help me write my reply t' Smiles? I'm kinda helpless right now."  
He said with a bit of a chuckle.  
Of course, if Molly was tired, he wouldn't force her to stay and help. They would be able to do it tomorrow first thing in the morning, hopefully before the post was taken out.

Molly smiled a little more with a nod, happy to be helping out a little.   
"Yes! I can help y' write since your hand an' all."   
She smiled, wanting to be useful after having wrongfully kept those letters from Anthony for so long.

He smiled and nodded, stood, and moved over to his desk to collect paper, a pen, and the ink Alastor had given him to use.  
"Alright, first I'm gunna read the letters so I know what t' reply with. I guess we should start the letter off sayin' it's you writin' 'cause the different handwritin' might throw him off a little."  
He said as he passed her the supplies and a book for her to use to write on before grabbing the letters.  
"What order did they come in?"

Looking through the front of the letters, eyes narrowing as she tried to remember.   
"Well, the opened one came first. And then this one, this one, and lastly that one. I _think_. Yeah."  
Passing the first one off to Anthony, Molly reached around to take the pen and ink.

Anthony nodded and quietly thanked her as he carefully pulled the first letter from its envelope before opening the paper.  
  


_March 28th, 1921_

_Dear Anthony,_

_My sincerest apologies in regards to your own mother and I hope that the anniversary isn't too much of a somber time for you and your family. I understand that the anniversary of a lost one can be a difficult time, so you will be in my thoughts for the 30th._

_You say your sister is suspicious of you? Even if she is to find out about us, I am quite sure from what you have told me of her, that she will be relatively accepting of the situation. The two of you are close, I don't think she would shun you over such a thing. Not only that but perhaps it would be wise to have another who is close to you know about what is going on._

_I look forwards to any future artwork you may send, you are quite talented at it and it will be greatly appreciated here by both myself and my mother. As for my mother, thank you for your recipes and the advice on what to give her if her sickness continues. I am quite sure though that she just ate something bad perhaps. It's nothing serious._

_Once again, my apologies for cutting this short, it is once again quite late. Before I forget, I would like to call at some point, however, I would have to use the phone at my dear friend Rosie's house. I too want to hear your voice again. Truth be told, I miss you too._

_Write soon._

_Sincerely, Alastor._

The first letter made Anthony melt, bringing a hand to his cheek gently as he seemed to do whenever he read the letters as if to simulate the man's touch.  
Setting the paper down, he took a breath.  
"First thing t' tell him that my hand is messed up, so you're writin' for me."  
He stated as he picked up the second letter and started to open it, just giving her something to do while he read.  
"Tell him I'll give details when I'm better and that there ain't gunna be any artwork comin' his way just yet."

Molly began to write as was instructed, first off letting Alastor know that this was Molly writing on account of Anthony and the reasoning behind that, letting Alastor know briefly the extent of Anthony's injuries.   
From there, she wrote about the artwork and then waited to be told what to write next as Anthony opened the next letter in the sequence.

_April 29th, 1921_

_Dearest Anthony,_

_It has been a while now, but I am sure your family business must be keeping you busy. Whether that is the case or not, I hope you do not mind me sending this letter before one of yours has arrived. There are a few things I must write down and get off of my chest._

_My mother has been getting even sicker over the past few weeks, I tried one of your remedies, however to no avail. It wasn't until this afternoon that I found out what the issue was. And I warn you, it was not a pretty situation by any means._

_It seems that on top of everything else dastardly awful Batallier did to my mother, bestowing an unwanted child upon her was another thing added to the list. She hasn't been sick these past few weeks because she had eaten something bad, Anthony. She was sick because she was with child._

_If you're wondering whether she is to keep it, then your answer is no. It has been taken care of. My mother isn't getting any younger, and any child conceived in such a circumstance is not wanted by my mother. That and her reputation would undoubtedly be shredded to pieces if word were to get out._

_I understand this may be a lot to read, if you ever do read this, however, I had to write my thoughts down somewhere. There are other things weighing down upon myself, but they are the least of my worries right now._

_People can be foolish, however, I strive to never be one of them. As Rosie told me this evening, I must be in control, despite how hard that seems to be right now. I wish you were here to perhaps ground me._

_Sincerely, Alastor._

As he read the next letter, Anthony's heart sank and his smile drooped as his hand lowered.  
He could see it in the writing, practically hearing the stress and how upset Alastor was just from how he signed off.

"Tell him I hope his mom is recovering well and that I feel like she made the right choice. Tell him that I'm sorry we couldn't have acted sooner to prevent it from happenin'."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he picked up the third envelope and opened it, once again carefully removing the paper inside.

_May 12th, 1921_

_Dearest Anthony,_

_A month and a half has passed since your last letter. I do hope that all is well and I do not hold it against you for not replying._

_An update on my mother. She has thankfully recovered well since the incident, and while her stubbornness did cause quite a few issues regarding her wanting to do more than she should, she has now become accustomed to a slower pace of things to aid her recovery. She does not regret what she did, and I don't doubt her decisions either._

_Quite a strange topic change, I will say, but do you believe in things that are out of the ordinary? Things that old folk tales and stories tell of, things happening that are almost unearthly? I would like to read your opinion on such things, however, if I am ever to discuss them verbally, then I wish to do so in person. I hope you can understand. But I am well myself. I will continue to write fortnightly since it is quite a calming activity, writing down all that is happening._

_I hope you are well too._

_Sincerely, Alastor._

Anthony relaxed a little but rolled his eyes.  
"Scratch that last bit, he's answered that already. Just tell him I'm glad his mom is doin' good and that I think she made the right choice too."  
He said as he picked up the fourth and final letter, glad that this was only going to be a draft and that they had plenty more paper and ink to work with.  
"Tell him that yes, I do believe in things that are 'out of the ordinary', but to an extent. We'll discuss it more later if he wants."  
He added as he repeated the same process of opening the final letter.

_June 27th, 1921_

_Dearest Anthony,_

_It's been a while now, has it not? I hope all is well and that nothing serious has happened. If you were to get injured, I don't suppose I would ever have a way of knowing, but no matter. I write a short letter today to simply ask if you yourself are okay._

_How are things with your family? How is your father after his wife's death anniversary? And how is your sister? I wonder if you have told her about us yet. I still think that you should._

_I don't suppose there is much else for me to say. Until next time, in two weeks' time._

_Sincerely, Alastor._

With a sigh, Anthony nodded, glad that Alastor wasn't upset about his absence. It made him happy that he continued to write.   
"Alright. Scratch that entire piece and we'll start over now that I know what each letter says."


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday, Isobel!

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Tuesday, July 26th, 1921  
New Orleans  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Even at precisely seven thirty-five in the morning, the temperature was already warm. The air was humid, and the sun had only been up barely an hour.  
Alastor sat on the front porch of his home, eyes closed as he took in the warm sun and fresh air, it being peacefully quiet at this time of the morning.  
Alastor had work a little later on, yet had woken up early regardless to get breakfast ready for him and his mother. And now? He was waiting for the mail. Usually, he would have waited inside, but with the temperature, it was cooler outside at this hour.

The mail soon came early, as it usually did, the man standing from his seat on the porch and walking to the front of the house where the mailbox was.

"Mornin' Levesque. Got one from New York for y' today."  
The mailman called as he stopped on his bicycle outside of the home, reaching into his bag and pulling out a few letters, carding through them before handing over two to Alastor.  
"Have a good one."

Alastor stopped in his tracks at the mention of a letter coming from New York, taking a long breath before he took the letters with thanks, waving the mailman off, grip tightening on the letters.  
"Anthony..."  
Alastor muttered under his breath, turning quickly on his heels and sitting back down on his place on the porch, placing the other letter aside and opening the one from New York. He didn't know how to feel. It had been a long time since Anthony's last letter, he wondered what he had to say.  
  


_July 12, 1921_

_Dearest Alastor,_

_I'm sorry for not being able to write to you. A lot has happened here that has prevented me from replying. Before I start, you may notice my handwriting is different. That's because my sister, Maria, has to write for me._

_Our mother's anniversary is when things took a turn. I won't go into detail in this edition as it would take at least five pages._

_To summarize though, I got in trouble with my father and Molly thought it best to hide your last four letters from me._

_The reason she's writing for me is that I took a pretty nasty beating and broke my hand. Even 3 months later and I still can't hold a pen without pain. You can imagine how that impacts my job too. I'm unable to paint and draw, so your gifts will have to wait a little longer as well, which I apologize for._

_My sister does know about us now, and she claims to have known since I came home. I wouldn't stop talking about you and frankly, I don't stop thinking about you either. You've been on my mind constantly and I don't think that's going to stop any time soon._

_To prove that it really is me and not some fraud making up an excuse, you and I met when I arrived in New Orleans on December 28 of 1920. We went to dinner on January 4 of 1921 where you introduced me to crawfish for the first time. It was fun but it was a bit of a mess when we started conversing, but it evened out once we got more comfortable with each other._

_The day before I came home was my birthday and you treated me to a day out that began with breakfast, then you took me to your spot in the bayou where we spent the day just enjoying each other's company. I sketched out some more of your flowers and we finished off the day with looking up at the stars. On our way back, we saw what you called fireflies, I think, but I'm going to keep calling them floating earth stars because that's what they are. One even kissed me on the nose._

_As I said, I still think about all of that frequently. I've even taken to rereading the first two letters I already had in my possession for comfort and carry the blue moon phlox with me everywhere in my breast pocket. I even brought it with me to the important meeting back in February. It's helped me a lot._

_In regards to your previous letters, dad has recovered again and is back to his usual self now. I thankfully finished the painting before my injury. Molly took credit for it considering his stance on that subject. I don't mind though. It's currently hung in the first-floor parlor above the mantle. He really liked it from what I can remember._

_I'm so glad your mom is doing okay and I think she made the right decision too. I'm sorry we couldn't have acted sooner and hopefully stood a chance at preventing that. I hope you are both well now that it has been taken care of. I'm glad you trust me enough to tell me about all of the things that have been happening._

_Believe me, when I say this, I wish I was there too. I miss your touch and I miss your voice. I'm always putting my hand on my cheek just as you had. Molly even confirms that to be fact as she writes this with eager nodding._

_As for things happening that are out of the ordinary, yes, I do believe in such things but to an extent. Of course, you would have to go into deeper detail about what it is that is happening before I deem myself a believer._

_My sister and I have devised a plan to where you and I will be able to speak to each other on the telephone. Because of my hand, I'll be away from work for a while longer and because this will arrive in the final week of July, should all go well, I will await your call on Saturday, July 30 at 6:30 in the evening, your time. It will be 7:30 for me then, and I know dad has plans that evening with Giovanni._

_The 3L-4N you provide is_   
_R A G – 2 7 5 1_

_That is the line to my father's office. Molly will stand outside to make sure I don't get caught. If we do get caught, however, I may be punished again, but that's a risk I'm willing to take. I need to hear you again. Maybe then I can explain everything that has happened._

_I look forward to your call if it does happen. Call no later than 7:15, as our window will be closed by then.  
_

_You can provide me with your code as well and maybe we can come up with a stable schedule that we can plan around. Or maybe not, considering how things are around here._

_Either way, July 30 will happen. I'll be doing everything in my power here to make sure I don't miss it._

_Yours truly,_   
_Anthony._

As Alastor read, Amélie came out to see if there was anything interesting in the mail that day, staying quiet when she noticed him reading a letter that was rather long, four pages by the looks of it.  
Stepping out, she closed the door behind her so the bugs wouldn't get in and sat in the chair next to her son. She didn't want to disturb him so she waited patiently for him to finish before asking any questions.

_Hello Alastor,_   
_This is a note from Molly to properly introduce myself and tell you things Anthony has left out._   
_I am the reason Anthony got in trouble and got hurt. I stepped out of line and he got punished for it._   
_Papa became uncontrollably angry and took it out on Tony like he always does, but this time was the worst it had ever been._   
_He broke Tony's hand and I had to put 5 stitches in his head. There isn't a scar on his hand but there is one on the side of his head. His hair covers it nicely though, so you don't even know it's there. He did have a lot of bruises but those have all gone now._   
_I do feel awful for everything I caused and I promise not to do anything like that again. I don't want Tony to get hurt any more than he already has._   
_That's also why I hid your letters from him. I was scared that he would get hurt by other people or by you because of how this whole idea is seen.  
If Papa were to find out, I fear for what would happen to him._   
_I have one favor to ask of you as well. Please don't hurt him. If you do find yourself needing to leave, please make it gentle. He's fragile, especially during these times._

_I would like to thank you too though, for continuing to write to him even though he hasn't replied until now. Your letters really do mean everything to him and he was so relieved to know you hadn't given up on him when he suddenly stopped._   
_Thank you for making my brother happy. It really does make all the difference. He's been horribly sad up until I gave him the letters._   
_The way he lights up when he talks about you, I know the exact moment you cross his mind too. He gets the biggest smile on his silly face that's cute as a bug's ear._

_I suppose that's all for now._

_Sincerely,_   
_Molly._

Alastor read quickly and quietly, so immersed in the letter that he didn't even notice his mother stepping out to sit beside him. There were a few lines in the letter that Alastor had to read over, quite surprised at what he was reading.

When he finally got to the end of the letter, hand running through his hair, he glanced to the side, almost jumping at the presence of his mother.  
"Oh, Mama. I didn't see you there."  
He sighed, neatly folding all four pages back up and placing them back into the envelope.  
"Well, I have good news and bad news."

The woman almost laughed at his reaction to noticing her but calmed again once he made his statement.  
"Good news and bad news? I assume Anthony has finally gotten back to you."  
Amélie took a breath.  
"I suppose the bad news should come first."  
She nodded.

Clearing his throat, Alastor nodded. He knew that his mother had been anticipating Anthony's letter just as much as he had, and she hadn't given up hope either.  
"Well, the bad news is that Molly, Anthony's sister, is having to currently write for Anthony because he, unfortunately, has been suffering from a broken hand and it is still affecting his ability to hold a pen."  
He explained. He felt bad for Anthony, of course. With such a talent for art, it must have been quite frustrating to not be able to draw.

Amélie slowly nodded along, sad that Anthony had been injured but glad that he was doing well overall.

"The good news is, all is well on Anthony's end and he and I have set up a date to talk over the phone. I know we don't have one here, but I have already discussed it with Rosie and she is more than willing to accommodate any telephone calls."

The mention of Rosie simply made her internally cringe but she pushed past it.  
"Perhaps we should think about getting one. It would be more convenient that way."  
She said. Truth be told, she just didn't want her son around that woman as much as possible. Of course, Amélie was aware that he was an adult now and he always had the freedom to do just about as much as he wished, so there wouldn't be any stopping him now.

"Really, Mama. I've never seen the problem with Rosie in the slightest."  
Alastor asked with a slight eye roll, placing the letter carefully into the inside pocket of his jacket.  
"But I don't see why we should get a telephone. We don't have anyone to call other than Anthony."

"Never mind that, dear. Tell me more. There were four pages there after all. Surely there's more you could tell me."  
She said with a shake of her head.

Nodding, getting back to the topic at hand, Alastor once again sighed.  
"I hope you don't mind... but I did let Anthony know of the situation regarding you and... well, you know. He writes back that he thinks you made the right decision too and that he's glad you're back on your feet again."

Amélie expected that more or less so nodded.  
"Yes well, he's the first real friend I've ever seen you have that you didn't secretly dislike, and he's a nice boy too. I'm quite glad that the two of you became friends, actually. I never would have expected you to make friends with someone who was from out of state, but you chose a good one."  
She smiled, taking the focus off of the unfortunate events.

"Yes... I suppose you're quite right. Most of the fools I grew up with are quite insufferable. You can't blame me for secretly disliking them all."  
Alastor did chuckle a little at that, glad that Amélie was so fond of Anthony.  
"Anthony is not like any of them at all. He's different, and whether it's because he's from out of state, I don't know. He truly intrigues me."

"Naturally."  
She smiled.  
"Now then, I must get ready for work, as should you."  
She said as she stood again, pinching one of Alastor's cheeks before going inside.

Chucking a little more at the pinch to his cheek, Alastor stood soon after his mother and followed her into the house. It wasn't too long of a day today at the butcher's, but he knew he would be highly anticipating the day where he and Anthony would be calling.

That Saturday quickly came around, Anthony sitting eagerly at his father's desk in his office, staring at the phone intently. There was still a few minutes before the call was to take place but he was still excited and a little bit nervous.

Molly had done as she said she would and sat keeping watch for Henry and Giovanni to get home so she could alert him right away.

He had acquired some interesting news that he was excited to share with Alastor, so hopefully, they would be able to talk for a while.

It was at precisely six-thirty in the evening that Alastor input the number to call the operator on the phone.  
He'd been over at Rosie's for the past hour or so, having come straight from work. Madeline was thankfully out with some friends, and Alastor trusted Rosie with anything he had to talk to Anthony about over the phone.

Once through to the operator, Alastor was quickly then put on the line that Anthony had given the number to, one that would call his father's office.

As soon as the phone started to ring on Anthony's end, he suddenly became more nervous. He didn't know why but there was a sudden rush of hesitation as a knot formed in his stomach.  
Taking a deep breath and swallowing the lump in his throat, he picked up the receiver and brought it up to his ear.

Alastor took a small breath as he heard the crackling sound of a receiver being picked up on the other side, feeling somewhat nervous himself. He hadn't heard Anthony's voice in what felt like so long.

"Ciao, Ragnatela."  
Anthony only answered this way just in case it wasn't actually Alastor and someone looking for his father instead, making sure his voice was strong and unwavering.

As soon as he _did_ hear Anthony's voice, there was a brief moment of silence, Alastor quickly taking it all in before he cleared his throat and replied.  
"Anthony? Yes, it's Alastor Levesque, good evening."

Anthony's eyes closed and his brows moved in together with the inner corners pushing upwards.  
"My god..."  
He muttered as he opened his eyes again.  
"Smiles, it's been a while."  
He really couldn't believe he we hearing Alastor's voice. It seemed surreal to think this was actually happening.  
"How's everythin' down south?"

Alastor took another breath, running a hand through his hair as he simply listened to Anthony's words. His voice.  
"Yes... it's been quite a while hasn't it. Everything's fine down here, thank you. No hurricanes or damaging storms just yet, haha! How about yourself?"

" _Yet?_ That ain't exactly comfortin' but uh, yeah, things here are fine. Got real warm here the other day. Reminded me of my time there, y' know?"  
Anthony chuckled lightly, his eyes moving down to focus on the desk since he didn't have a face to physically focus on as he heard the familiar voice.

Alastor physically couldn't stop grinning, his smile so wide as he nodded, not caring that Anthony couldn't see him.  
"If you thought it was warm when you were last here, you wouldn't believe the temperature right now; and it's only going to get warmer."  
He chuckled too.  
"How is your hand? I understand you're still recovering from what your father did to you. I'm sorry that happened."

Anthony's eyes trailed down to his hand and flexed his fingers a bit, turning it a few times to examine it a little.  
"Ah, yeah, still kinda hurts but I'm workin' on it."  
He paused.  
"You usin' those psychic powers of yours again? I didn't mention it was my dad who did it in my letter."

"Truth be told, I suppose you didn't know, but your sister Molly explained everything in a little more detail in the extension of the letter you sent."  
Alastor admitted with a laugh.  
"She mentioned that your father was quite angered when Molly supposedly stepped out of line and you were punished as a result."

Anthony rolled his eyes and shook his head.  
"'Course she did."  
He sighed.  
"Doesn't matter now. We're doin' fine now that all that's over with. Especially my older brother though. He's engaged as of last night. We didn't even know he had a moll."  
He then chuckled.  
"Can't help but feel bad for whoever she is 'cause of how big of a prig Gio is. Kinda hope she makes chin music on him at some point."

"Ah well, congratulations to him. I'm sure he will perhaps become less of a 'prig' with a woman to straighten him out, haha!"  
Alastor laughed again.  
"But I'm quite surprised that you had no idea about the woman. Is that normal within your family?"

"Now that y' mention it, the way I've known it t' be was that you're kinda told about the person you're gunna end up with and about a year or so b'fore y' actually get the ring, y' spend time with that person just so the two of ya can't get better acquainted with each other and learn how t' handle each other."  
He explained, making hand gestures as he spoke even though Alastor couldn't see them.  
"No one actually knows about it outside the two families 'till the engagement party, which is gunna happen next week, so then it'll be common knowledge t' everyone. Molly and I are different cases in a lotta different ways, 'course."

Alastor nodded as he listened to what Anthony had to say, putting the information away somewhere in his brain, mainly listening to the way Anthony spoke, visioning his face in his mind.  
"Why that certainly _is_ a peculiar way to do things, I must say. I hope the engagement party goes well, nonetheless."

Anthony smiled and nodded.  
"I could go int' more detail about it in my next letter if y' wanted."  
He shrugged.  
"I can expect your next one t' come in on time, yeah? Or didja decide t' wait 'till after we called?"

Alastor did have something to say about his next letter. With the knowledge that he and Anthony were going to be calling, he thought it best to write a letter afterward in case the letter repeated anything he said over the phone.  
"Ah yes, I plan to write to you this evening and send it off first thing Monday morning. So it should arrive two weeks from then."

"Alright, makes sense. Hopefully, by then I'll be back to drawin' and have some things t' send your way."

"I can't wait to see what sort of artwork you will send over. My mother and I much anticipate it."  
Alastor knew his mother had missed Anthony's letters just as much as he did, his art included too.

The Italian really couldn't wipe the stupid smile off of his face.  
"I'm real happy y' kept writin' even while I was quiet..."

"Why, naturally. I do enjoy writing, so it wasn't a chore in any sort of way. I understand what with your family business and all, things perhaps get busy. I am simply relieved that all is well now."

"Speakin' of which, how's your mom? Is she feelin' okay? Have y' made the pasta yet?"  
Anthony became a bit excited all of a sudden. He supposed it was due to the fact he and Alastor were actually able to talk again, even if it was for a short time. They still had their letters.

Alastor continued to smile at the clear excitement he could hear in Anthony's voice as the topic was moved across to his mother.  
"Yes, she's much better now. I still tell her to take it easy, but she more or less is back on her feet as she was before. And the pasta? As a matter of fact, yes, we have made it. Last month I do believe. While it wasn't as good as yours by any means, it still held up quite well and was delicious regardless. Thank you for the recipe."

Anthony relaxed a little and hummed.  
"Good."  
He was starting to run out of things to talk about, which caused him to almost panic because he didn't want this call to end.  
"I'm still tryna find a reason t' make it back, so might still be a while yet, unfortunately. I miss New Orleans a lot."

Alastor knew it could potentially be a long while before he and Anthony saw each other in person again, so he was glad that as well as being able to write, they could hopefully continue to call like this.  
"I'm willing to wait as long as I have to, to see you again, Anthony. There is still so much of New Orleans that you have yet to see."  
He smiled.  
"And perhaps... there is another side to the city that you do not know about. A more, out of the ordinary side that I vaguely discussed in one of my letters to you."

Anthony raised a brow, his smile only growing wider.  
"I love a good mysterious surprise."  
He chuckled.  
"I'm really lookin' forward t' comin' back around again. I've been wantin' crawfish but dunno how t' make it. Plus, Gio's allergic t' shellfish, so unless I want him t' get real sick, I shouldn't."  
He paused, thinking that one over.  
"So uh... think y' could send me a recipe or somethin' for crawfish?"  
Of course, Anthony was joking... sort of.

He was glad that Anthony enjoyed his time down south, and to hear that he loved the crawfish so much that he wanted to make it himself too? That was great.  
"If your brother is perhaps ever unpleasant, the crawfish recipe will come in handy I'm sure. I'll be sure to include it in my next letter to you."

Molly was stood out in the hallway, back leaned against the doorway that looked out into the foyer as she waited for Tony to either finish or for there to be some sort of sign that Henry and Giovanni were returning.  
It was just then that the sound of the motorcar and lights came in through nearby one of the front open windows grabbed her attention. Sure enough, the two men were arriving back.

"Applesauce..."  
Molly muttered, quietly walking back to the office and knocking twice, opening the door slightly and popping her head in.  
"Y' gotta scram, they're back."  
She hushed, her hand gestures all over the place as she pointed over her shoulder.

Closing the door, Molly took a breath and began to walk towards the main entrance of the home where Henry and Giovanni were just taking their jackets off.  
"Ciao, Papa!"  
The woman called, announcing herself, hoping she would be able to buy Anthony enough time to both end the call and get out of their father's office safely.  
"How was yours and Gio's work today? Hope y' both weren't workin' too hard."

Anthony was about to reply but was interrupted by his sister, giving her a quick nod.  
"Alright, I gotta cheese it. Dad's back and if he finds me in here, I'll get it again. Make sure ya include your phone code in your next letter too. We'll come up with another date for another call. I promise."  
He spoke quickly but clearly so nothing would be missed.

Alastor raised a brow as Anthony spoke, nodding to himself.  
"It's quite alright. Don't be foolish and get caught for a mere phone call."  
He warned, knowing that Anthony had been hurt enough as it was thanks to unfortunate events.

"Psh, don't worry yourself too much, Smiles. 'Till next time. Ciao."  
With that, Anthony ended the call and put the receiver back down before quietly leaving the office and around to the kitchen, making sure to stay out of sight.

Nodding to Anthony's words, Alastor wished him a goodbye.  
"Good night, Anthony."  
As he put the receiver back, the sudden voice behind him alerting him.

"I've never seen you use the telephone before, Alastor. Is everything alright?"

Madeline asked. She had come home from her outing not long ago, Rosie telling her not to interrupt Alastor as he had his phone call. Of course, this had piqued her interest and she made her way right to the room they kept their phone in once her mother went off to the kitchen.

"Madeline. My apologies, I did not hear you enter the room."  
Alastor nodded, raising his chin slightly.  
"Everything is fine thank you. Is your mother in the kitchen?"

Madeline gave a nod, her smile fading slightly.  
"Why don't we spend time together like we used to? You seem to be putting more effort in a distant friendship than one that's right in front of you..."  
She was aware of Anthony and that he was from out of state, but that was about the extent of that. She hadn't even met the man from New York.

Alastor couldn't help the sigh that left his lips as he listened to the woman speak, his eyes narrowing in the slightest.  
"Madeline, I'm a busy man and we are no longer children; and you are busy too, are you not? I speak with you when I can, but we are nothing more than friends."  
Not wanting to cause any sort of scene, Alastor put that as lightly as he could, not quite going as far as to say that over the years they had become more acquaintances than anything.

Madeline felt something in her shatter at the words her long-time crush spoke his seemingly true feelings. Her shoulders visibly lowered in unmistakable disappointment.  
"But... I'm right in front of you... your friend is far away... why can't you make time for me as you do for him?"

"I haven't been in contact with Anthony for a few months now, Madeline. Apart from a letter that arrived from him the other day, this phone call is the first I've heard from him in a while. Would you like me to not contact you for a few months and then write you a letter out of the blue?"  
This conversation was getting quite pointless now, Alastor knew, but with Madeline standing right in the doorway, he couldn't exactly get out of the room.

Madeline's shoulders raised again as she became increasingly upset.  
"You might as well. I don't see you for weeks at a time and when we do meet, all I'm met with is a nod and a 'hello'."  
She paused, her inner brows raising as she turned away and left quickly, the sound of her feet running up the stairs.

As Madeline turned to leave, Alastor rolled his eyes, physically having to bite his tongue in order to not say anymore.  
Simply clearing his throat, Alastor swiftly left the small room with the phone and nonchalantly made his way through the home and to the kitchen, catching Rosie's attention.  
"It seems your daughter has gotten quite worked up over the fact that I never speak with her. How foolish."

Rosie was in the process of making some tea when Alastor made his presence known.  
"I told her not to bother you while you were having a conversation."  
The woman sighed with a roll of her eyes.  
"Would you care for some tea, or are you going to be heading home?"

Nodding as he moved further into the kitchen, the man leaned himself against one of the counters of the kitchen.  
"Yes, I think I shall. I still have time before I should head back, and I'm sure you're curious as to what Anthony and I have been discussing."

"If you're willing to share any information with me, you know I'm more than happy to listen."  
Rosie nodded, looking to the man as she grabbed another cup while the tea continued to steep.

It was over a hot cup of tea that they discussed not only what Alastor had been talking to Anthony about over the phone, but also about any other things that had been happening in their lives as of late.

Alastor had just finished his tea when a sudden thought came to mind, one that he hadn't thought about in a while.  
"I was just thinking about that young woman I let get away that one time a few months ago. The one which you were convincing me _would_ have consequences. It didn't now, did it?"  
He spoke with slight smugness, always jumping at any opportunity to prove Rosie wrong when he could.

The woman's eyes narrowed a little as she took another sip of her tea.  
"You happened to get lucky. That's all that was."  
She said as she set her cup down with a shake of her head.

Alastor knew that nothing would be able to wipe the wide grinning smirk off his face right now.  
"I don't believe that the newspapers the next morning could have been any more vague even if they tried. It was absolutely hilarious, Rosie!"

"Yes, with the description they gave, it could have been anyone tall with broad shoulders. Honestly, that doesn't narrow it down at all, simply eliminates the possibility of a woman."  
She said with a sigh.

Chuckling, the man shook his head.  
"It seems humanity is more foolish than what I had presumed. If you're going to rat out a killer, _at least_ get a good look at their face, haha! Why it's almost boring, but no, I am quite relieved that there weren't any police knocking on my door that next morning or in the following days. My mother would have been much too stressed."

"But you did learn from the experience, yes? Don't let it go to your head that you'll get away with it every time. As I said, you simply got lucky."

Waving a hand dismissively, Alastor shook his head again, eyes narrowed with his continual smirk.  
"I learn from _everything_ , Rosie darling. It won't happen again."

Rosie then stood from her seat and paused, looking up at the ceiling as everything fell silent once again.  
"That girl is going to send me into madness, I swear it."  
She tutted as she heard Madeline upstairs.

Alastor too paused just as Rosie did, his gaze rising to the ceiling.  
"Yes, it seems she's having quite the tantrum up there. She couldn't understand why I would focus so much on a friendship with a man who is in New York when I supposedly have her right here. I didn't even tell her that I think of her as a mere acquaintance at best."

Rosie sighed as she set her cup near the sink, noticing a cup was already there.  
"I don't understand why she won't accept facts and move on. She's got plenty of options out there that would presumably want her. I'd feel awful for the poor man who does gain mutual attraction though. She becomes rather obsessed apparently."

Alastor was just about to place his own cup near the sink, however, found that it had already been placed there, but not by neither Rosie nor himself.  
"I am quite sure Rosie made it clear the first time that you are not to do that while here."  
Alastor spoke firmly, glancing over his shoulder what looked to be nothing, before returning his attention to the woman and the topic at hand.

Rosie raised a brow. Communication between the two was still a work in progress since the end of April. It would take time, of course, as everything did when dabbling with supernatural matters. At least Alastor was trying and his friend was doing something useful rather than just causing trouble.

"Perhaps if another man was to grab her attention, this crazed attraction towards me would subside. I understand she's known me for years, but that's no excuse to be so pathetically head over heels."

"I agree, however, she continues to ignore my advice. I'm quite tempted to go out and look for a suitor for her myself."  
She said as she sat back down.

"You should do whatever you think would be best for her. She can stay as she is with her little crush on me, however, rest assured it will _never_ be mutual."  
Alastor nodded, running a hand through his hair and looking to a clock on the wall.  
"But enough about that. I must be on my way shortly."

Rosie nodded and took a breath. There were still some things she wanted to ask about but understood time was getting on.  
"I'd like to meet again soon, if possible. See how your communication is going with your _other_ friend."  
She said as she stood, slowly making her way to the front door.

Standing too, the man once again nodded in regards to her words.  
"Yes, I would like to discuss that with you. Communication has proven to be far more complicated than I first anticipated, and I still do not know it's true purpose."  
Following Rosie to the door, Alastor made sure to grab his hat on the way out, but before he could put it on himself, it was being taken out of his hands and placed upon his head.  
Eyes narrowing, he sighed.  
"And it still doesn't always listen to my orders. When I discovered it, it seemed to be too late to set any sort of rules down, despite my best efforts. But enough about all this, I will say good night Rosie."

"Good night, Alastor. Good night, friend."  
The woman smiled a little, letting the man and his shadow friend out into the warm summer night.


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Quick note! From this point on, any and all Italian translations will be accurate! We have an Italian translator now!!~

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Sunday, July 1st, 1923  
New York City  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Giovanni had married in December of 1921 and gotten his own estate with his wife and just now getting ready for the arrival of their first-born child.   
This meant that it was just Anthony, Molly and Henry left, Giovanni over quite frequently though.

Molly had tried to be friends with the woman her eldest brother had gotten married to, but the woman in question didn't seem to like her very much. Molly could sense it and she wasn't exactly fond of her either. She'd tell Anthony about it quite a lot and even say that they were perfect for each other.

Henry had been trying to get his daughter to interact with possible suitors since the beginning of 1922, but she would always find an excuse not to like any man she was introduced to.   
He was growing increasingly tired of this and was almost ready to tell her that she either had to choose someone or he was going to choose for her, however, there was one more thing he was going to try before he took to that plan of action.

Anthony sat in his bedroom alone just before dinner.   
So far, since February of 1921, a total of fifty-six letters had been exchanged been himself and Alastor, having at least one phone call every month since their first call as well. Of course, there were maybe one or two instances where they had to postpone and since Anthony had been given Alastor's information, he did all of the callings to minimize the risk of getting caught at a bad time when Henry was still present.

Going over all of the thirty-one letters that he had to relocate to a better hiding place considering how many he had accumulated. Time wasn't slowing down and he was starting to worry that maybe he wouldn't get to go back to New Orleans. Once Giovanni's child was born, he would be taking time away to help care for his new family, seeing as his wife didn't want to have a nanny. 

Anthony had to admit, he was surprised to hear that his brother was actually willing to take part in any of that.   
Not that it mattered. What mattered was the fact that once October hit and the baby was born in November, Anthony would take Giovanni's place as his father's right-hand man until further notice. 

He had made a lot of successful hits and gave a fair number of helpful tips and suggestions that aided everyone involved with the Family, so it did seem that being bought up further into the system would have been a good thing for him, and because he wasn't allowed to marry or have children of his own, this would turn into his life until the day his father died. From there, he wasn't sure what to expect.

There was a gentle knock at the door as his sister's voice came through.   
"Tony? Papa wants t' see ya in his office b'fore we eat."   
She said.

Anthony started putting all of the letters back in their box as he spoke.   
"Alright. I'll be there in a few minutes."   
He replied calmly, hearing Molly start to walk away from the door and back downstairs.

Lifting one of the floorboards under his bed, Anthony put the box safely into the small space and covered it up again before standing and making his way out to the bathroom to make sure he was presentable.

Flicking the light on, he moved over to the mirror, adjusted the cuffs of his white shirt, and made sure it was tucked into his pants properly. He brought a hand up to his jaw and took note of how much more definition he had gained in both his jawline and cheekbones over the few years. He was also quite a bit taller now as well, standing at approximately five foot ten now. If his memory served him correctly, he was five foot eight when he first met Alastor.   
He could remember how much taller the man was than him, thinking he mentioned that he was six foot two in one of his letters at some point and knew he wouldn't be growing anymore. 

After making sure everything was in good sight, Anthony left the bathroom and made his way down to his father's office. It was probably regarding a job that needed to be done, so he really wasn't too worried. They had all been on fairly good terms since the incident, the twins being more cautious and careful with every move they made and everything they said around their father.

Gently knocking on the office door, Anthony was met with a small and deep 'enter', which he did, seeing his father sitting at his desk, going over a few different pieces of paper.   
There were more visible grey streaks in the man's hair now, having hit his fifty-seventh birthday this past April. He still looked quite good for his age; Anthony could give him that much.

"Y' wanted t' see me?"   
He asked as he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, walking closer to the desk.

"Mhm."   
Henry hummed with a nod, putting the papers down.   
"Because you're doin' so well with your jobs, I'm gunna give ya a chance t' relax b'fore y' turn fulltime at my side."   
The man explained.   
"Since your brother's gunna be takin' time off startin' mid-October, you're gunna need t' take his place."

Anthony raised his chin as he listened, giving a bit of a nod.   
"Yeah, we talked about this already."   
He said.

"I already cleared it with the Boss and you're gunna be free of responsibilities for two weeks just t' make sure you're on top of everythin' once the time comes that y' take Giovanni's place. You'd be free t' travel if y' wanted."

As that last sentence was said, Anthony knew exactly what he was going to do. His chest became tight from containing his absolute excitement. The reasoning seemed to check out albeit being a little weird. He never expected to be given this opportunity flat out, but he certainly wasn't going to complain.

"Thanks for givin' me this, and thank the Don for me too. I got a couple questions about it though."   
Anthony replied, bringing his hands to rest behind his back, watching as his father gave a nod for him to continue.   
"Is there gunna be a set date for this break? I'd like t' request at least two weeks' notice just so I can plan out what I'm gunna do b'fore I give a solid answer."

"Two weeks granted."   
Henry stated.

Anthony nodded.   
"Alright, and is there gunna be any big jobs y' need me t' do b'fore then?"

"Nothin' outta the ordinary. Just keep helpin' with the goods, loadin' the trucks, makin' sure everythin' at the warehouse is goin' smoothly. No hits, and if any do come up, they can either be given t' someone else or y' can take care of it when y' get back dependin' on the urgency."

Anthony nodded.   
"Right, well, I'll start plannin' out what I'm gunna do with that time. I already have an idea but I'll work out the details."

Henry nodded and waved his hand in a dismissive manner, prompting Anthony to take his leave.

If Alastor wrote on time, he would be receiving the letter by the next day, which was good considering he'd be able to tell him right away about his upcoming visit. Until then, he decided to join his sister in the kitchen and tell her about what he was just told while she cooked.   
  
  
  


Those few years in between the summer of 1921 and 1923 had passed rather quickly for Molly. Everything in her world and the world around her had been changing so quickly, it was almost difficult to keep up at times.   
With Anthony having been increasingly busy over the past few months, spending more and more time away on work with their father since Giovanni's new family commitments, Molly had found herself to be alone the majority of most days. After the incident with Nancy Fischer in 1921, Molly never saw the woman again. Thankfully though, nothing stopped Molly from sneaking out every now and again; not even the scare of having Anthony so badly injured, but that did make her far more cautious and smart. She still had some sort of freedom. Although, she still had not made any friends since.

There was another issue though that had begun to present itself quite recently, and while Molly knew that the inevitability of it was undeniable, that didn't mean she wasn't going to push it back for as long as she could.   
In her opinion, at the mere age of twenty, she didn't even want to be _thinking_ about marriage, despite what all of her family and what society expected of her. She knew she was better than that. Not to mention the issue of her preference for women, something that had become more and more apparent to her as the months passed. There had been a lot of inner turmoil and denial, but with Anthony's help, invaluable support and advice, Molly had been able to slowly but surely find herself.

It was amazing to see how much her twin had grown as well, something that _no one_ had expected. As for Molly, while she may not have gotten any taller, her mind had grown in the sense that she was more sound and content now. That, and apparently with every passing day, she continued to look more like her mother, Flavia. 

Molly had just started cooking her family a meal for dinner when Anthony came into the kitchen, startling her.

Turning the radio down a little, something that had become popular in the previous year, Anthony grinned with his dimples shining.   
"I got somethin' t' tell ya."

"Oh yeah? What 'cha gunna tell me. I'm gunna burn this food if y' not quick."   
She laughed, glancing over her shoulder with a grin at her twin brother.

Anthony smiled and took a breath.  
"I'm goin' back t' New Orleans."  
He said simply before a quick pause.  
"Now, I just wanna make sure you're gunna be alright here. I doubt pops would let y' come along, so-"

It didn't take Molly long to process what her brother suddenly simply blurted out like that, the woman spinning around with practical stars in her eyes of excitement, a hand flying to her chest, dinner completely forgotten.   
"Oh, Tony!"   
She grinned even wider, draping her arms around him and pulling him in for a hug. As hard as these past few years had been on both of them, Molly knew very well that Alastor's letters and his phone calls to Anthony were one of the few things that helped her twin brother pull through at times, and she was eternally grateful to him for that, even if she'd never even met him. 

Truth be told, there were occasional times that Molly had slipped her own letter in with Anthony's before she posted it off to New Orleans, giving him a rundown of details that her twin may have forgotten to put. From the small letters she got back, it seemed that Alastor appreciated the details.

"When do you leave? Anthony, I'm _so_ happy for you! How did Papa agree t' such a thing? Y' put a damn gun to his head?"

Anthony laughed and shook his head, carefully returning the hug for only a moment.  
"Oh god, no. He just said the 'cause Gio's gunna be busy with the wife, I'll get some time off b'fore I turn full time."  
He said as he reached for the skillet and gave it a quick flick to make sure the contents wouldn't burn.  
"I told him I wanted two weeks notice so Smiles would have time t' get ready."

At the mention of their older brother's wife, Molly huffed loudly, pulling back from the hug and returning her focus to the food.   
"You're gunna be his right hand for a bit, ain't 'cha? Which means you'll be away even more?"  
Molly already knew this to be true, and it saddened her slightly that Anthony would be out with their father even more while Giovanni took some time away, but that was just the way things were, she supposed.

"Anyways, I'm glad y' get to see smiles again. It's been forever! Don't do anythin' down there that I wouldn't do, aye?"   
There was a hint of smugness behind her words there, the woman having been told a little more over the years what had gone on between Anthony and Alastor when they'd been together- as surprising as that was.

Anthony rolled his eyes and chuckled.  
"Oh don't worry. I'll deny every man that even looks at me."  
He batted back in reference to her stubbornness when it came to suitors presented to his sister, nudging her lightly.  
"His next letter should be in t'morrow so I'll let him know in my reply."  
He stated as he grabbed a bread roll.

Nodding, Molly took the food off of the stove and began to plate it up.   
"Yeah, y' better not. Al's a real great guy."   
She chuckled, eyes narrowing in Anthony's direction once she noticed him with the roll.   
"Y' gunna ruin your damn appetite if y' eat that now." 

"If ya give me your measurements I'll bring a dress back for ya."  
He said in attempts to distract her from his greedy mitts, which seemed to work as Molly perked up. 

"Oh, wouldja? That would be just swell! A dress from New Orleans... that would be so great."

Anthony chuckled lightly and took a bite of the roll. He was pretty hungry as it was, having had to skip lunch because of something he had to do in the city.  
"Make sure y' get me the numbers and I'll pick somethin' up for ya b'fore I come home. Any particular color y' want or are y' gunna trust me enough t' choose?"

Giving him a slight look as she continued plating up their food, she shook her head.   
"No, I trust you fully with fashion choices. I've always said you have better taste than me when it comes to those things."   
She laughed.   
"Help me bring these through, wouldja?"

Anthony nodded and grabbed two of the three plates, bringing them out and across to the dining room.  
"Want me t' go get dad or are you gunna?"  
He asked as he set the plates down on the table.  
Even now, he was still getting used to his brother not being there. That empty seat was so strange.

Bringing the third plate and the basket of bread through, following Anthony into the dining room, Molly placed the last plate down on the table.   
"I can!"   
She smiled, untying her apron and draping it across the back of her usual chair before exiting the dining room to head to their father's office and call him for dinner.

Anthony watched as Molly left the room, sitting down in his usual seat while he waited.


	38. Chapter 38

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Monday, July 16th, 1923  
New Orleans  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

A lot could change in the small span of two years, as Alastor found out. There was an abundance of things that had taken place, some of which he had taken note of and relayed to Anthony through their years of letters and monthly phone calls, but there were also other things he had kept to himself. After all, there was always some sort of risk of someone intercepting _something_ through the mail or over a short phone call.

As for Alastor himself, not too much had changed within his life. He was still working his usual shifts at the butcher's, however was laboring more alongside the owner now that another employee had recently taken his leave from the business.

The killings, albeit increasingly more cruel and gruesome, still had yet to cause any problems. Alastor was as calm and collected as ever, if not more as the few years passed, having a rather inconspicuous and unlikely companion by his side, occasionally whispering words of advice and ideas. All of which were more or less harmless; at least, to Alastor himself, it was harmless.  
The shadow had stuck around ever since the night it had been summoned accidentally, a simple anomaly where there shouldn't have been.  
Alastor did think to question the danger such a thing could possess, however, the shadow never caused trouble and never revealed itself to those Alastor himself did not trust completely. It did as he wished it to do, and to him, that was enough.

It was a Monday morning, a humid July of 1923 when the letter in the mail struck Alastor by surprise. Of course, he had been expecting a letter from Anthony, but the content of said letter was something that _he wasn't_ prepared for by any means. 

_July 2, 1923_

_Dearest Alastor,_

_Before I begin with a response to your letter, I have news._

_I've been informed that I've been granted 2 weeks of freedom and have chosen to take that time to visit. I asked for two weeks to "plan" just so I would know you'd get this letter on time and still give you time to prepare, and another 2 to gather everything. I will be leaving here on July 31 and will be arriving in New Orleans on August 1 at 2 o'clock in the afternoon._

_I hope this is enough time for you to prepare. I've only found out yesterday. I'd also like to mention that after your reply to this letter, I'll be silent as I'll be busy getting ready to depart and make sure everything is set before my departure._

_I really do look forward to seeing you again. I think this is going to be a very good thing. We've waited so long and I'm so happy to be able to return._

_Please give me a list of things I will absolutely need to bring with me just so I'm prepared. This trip is entirely leisure and there will be no distractions this time. I'll be bringing more from my dad's store too, so we can enjoy that again if we so choose._

With a feeling of excitement, one of pure joy as he held the letter slightly to his chest, Alastor made his way back into his home where he could continue reading. His mother would be home from her night shift shortly, and the news would undoubtedly raise her spirits.

Alastor was finally going to see Anthony.

Before Amélie had even returned home, Alastor had already written up a reply to the man he had missed oh so much.

His letter, in summary, read:

_Dearest Anthony,_

_I very much anticipate your arrival on August the first. Since your letter informing me came in on time, I will be able to take those two weeks off from the butchers in hopes that I may spend every moment I can with you._

_This may be a short letter since I have much to tell you in person, but I hope your journey will be easy on you. I have listed separately anything that may be in your best interest to bring. August is an awfully humid time of the year down here._

_I will be seeing you soon._

_Sincerely, Alastor._

The man had been continuously pacing up and down the front porch of the house, waiting for his mother to return from work. The next letter he was to send to Anthony sat on the dining table inside, all ready to be posted, he simply wanted to let his mother know the excellent news before he both headed out to work and posted the letter.

Alastor's mother was on her way home from work, everything that night going smoothly and nothing overly exciting or concerning taking place. She had a feeling it was a good day. The sun was shining and the birds were singing in the trees as home came into view. It really was a beautiful day.

Something odd caught her eye though as she noticed her son pacing on the porch.  
"Alastor?"  
She asked as she neared.  
"Alastor, is everything alright? Is it the neighbor?"

Their neighbor had fallen ill a few weeks ago and Alastor was kind enough to go and help the elder man whenever he could. At least, that's what she and everyone else thought. The reality wasn't nearly as pleasant.

When he spotted his mother turning the corner at the end of the road and walking towards the home, Alastor immediately began to walk over to her. The past few years had been kind to Amélie, the woman having been able to take it easy on herself. She may have had a few more grey hairs than what she had two years previous, but that came to everyone with age.

"The neighbor? No no, of course not. It's Anthony!"  
Alastor exclaimed with joy, taking her bag from her to carry into the home.  
As for the neighbor, well, that was quite the story indeed. A work of art that Alastor was awfully proud of and planned to tell Anthony every detail of the gruesome tale when he next saw him.  
"Anthony will finally be visiting us in two weeks' time, isn't that just swell!"

Amélie was happy to see her son so excited as he took her bag and guided her inside. Upon hearing Anthony's name, she couldn't help but smile and the news to follow certainly made her light up.  
"Oh goodness! Two weeks' time is hardly any notice at all but I'm sure work has the poor boy on quite the schedule. This is certainly a wonderful day, isn't it!"  
She beamed as they entered the home.  
"I can see if I can get the day off so we can go to the station together! I'll put my request in the moment I get to work tomorrow!"

Slipping off his shoes before entering the home, Alastor's smile was wide, the man beyond elated.  
"Anthony has said that he will be arriving on August first, at two in the afternoon. Why I think I'll have to take some time off from work as well."  
He added, smiling away.  
The two weeks, he knew, would pass quickly. After all, both he and Anthony had already waited two years to see each other again.

"Oh, this is all just so wonderful! I don't think I'll be getting a wink of sleep until he arrives!"  
The woman laughed. Two weeks was enough time for her to make sure everything was in order and the house was presentable for his visits, so the notice was appreciated.  
"Will he be staying at St Charles again?"

The man was happy that his mother had something to look forward to, knowing that she would of course be much anticipating the Italian's arrival too.  
"He hasn't mentioned where he'll be staying, but I can imagine that yes, he will most probably be staying at St Charles once again."

Amélie clasped her hands together in front of her chest.  
"Oh, this is going to be just wonderful!"  
She repeated. She really had no words for how happy she was.  
"I'm curious to see if he's changed at all."  
The woman's mind was quite frantic and excited as she moved towards the stairs. She still needed to change out of her uniform and rest, but with the news, she had a feeling she wouldn't be able to no matter how hard she tried.

Yes... that was another curiosity of Alastor's too. Of course, not having seen Anthony in person for almost two years now, there was a high possibility that he had changed slightly. Perhaps the Italian's wish to be taller had come true too. Either way, Alastor couldn't wait to see him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes. We like teasing you guys.  
> That being said, a lot more is available on our Patreon!  
> Big thanks to our patrons! <3


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Discussion of murder~

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Wednesday, August 1st, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Those two weeks, as predicted, did go by very fast indeed. With August usually quite a slow month down in New Orleans, the humidity and heat more often than not prompted people to stay indoors.

August first, 1923, around midday, Alastor was starting to feel somewhat nervous. Why? He didn't know. His mother had taken the day off to be able to greet Anthony at the station with him, and they had planned to make their way there within the hour.

"Mama, I must pick up something from the bakery before we walk to the station."  
The man called throughout the house. This was the first time in a while that the two of them had a full day off together at the same time.

Amélie was just making her way down the stairs, making sure her hair was in order as they prepared to leave.  
She knew exactly what Alastor was planning.  
"Has Anthony had beignets the last time he was here?"  
She asked.

The pastry in question was undoubtedly the best in New Orleans and it was lucky that the bakery that only had the very best was close to the train station, so they would still be fresh by the time the Italian arrived.  
The golden brown flaky pasty topped with confectioners' sugar was an essential part of the city that everyone who visited had to try.

Alastor shook his head, looking down at himself and straightening out his tie.  
"No, I don't believe he has, however, I would hate to be the one who gets him addicted to such sweet treats."  
Beignets were naturally, a sweet staple around New Orleans, and as soon as he had realized the last time Anthony was here that he hadn't had any, he absolutely made it his mission to get the Italian to try them during his next visit.

"Yes, they are quite something. You seem to be the only one with self-control when it comes to them though."  
The woman chuckled as she straightened out her son's collar for him.  
"We best be off. He could arrive early for all we know."  
She hummed before making her way to the door, stepped out, and put her shoes on.

Nodding, Alastor followed in his mother's lead, stepping out and putting his shoes on too, the heat from the outside hitting him. It was almost one in the afternoon so of course, the heat was going to be at its hottest point around now.

  
Over the course of his travel, Anthony could hardly sit still. He was naturally going to worry about his sister while he was away but he knew that as long as she kept to her word by staying in the house and evading the men their father chose for her, she would be just fine. It was only going to be two weeks.

He was overly excited to know that this was actually happening. Of course, he did his best to get at least a little bit of rest before he arrived so that when he got off of the train, he wouldn't need to go right to the hotel and rest; and much as he'd done previously, he made sure to change into more suitable and less formal clothing, as he knew it would be a lot hotter there than in New York.  
Alastor's reply stated that he would be able to take the two weeks off, but Anthony wasn't sure when that was going to be in effect. With that in mind, he set a plan in place that if he didn't see the man at the station, he would go to the shop he knew he still worked at.

As the city came into view, Anthony sat up in his seat, his eyes lighting up and a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. He was nervous but he was ultimately so happy to be back.

As the train pulled into the station, his breath got caught in his throat as he stood from his seat, grabbing his suitcase. Taking a look out onto the platform just to his right, he looked out at all of the waiting people to see if he could spot the man he'd come so far for before making his way to the exit and out into the overwhelming warmth of New Orleans.

It took him a moment before he saw the towering man he'd been so anxious to reunite with. Alastor didn't seem to have changed much, but Anthony certainly wasn't complaining as he made his way off of the car, suitcase tight in his grip.

After picking up the freshly made beignets from the bakery, Alastor and Amélie had made their way slowly up to the station. The heat was sweltering, and with the number of layers of clothing his mother had on, it was no surprise that once they arrived at the station, she opted to stay inside the station building while Alastor made his way to the platform. He was never one that usually minded the heat.

At precisely two o'clock, just as scheduled, the train began to pull into the station, clouds of steam filling the air as the locomotive stopped, passengers filing off from every door.

Alastor stood quietly with his usual smile, hands resting behind his back with the brown paper bag in one, as his gaze scanned all of the people getting off the train.  
It wasn't until a man, one that at first Alastor barely recognized, stopped in front of him that the brunette took a double-take, eyes widening; as did his smile.  
"Anthony."  
Alastor let out with a growing smile, one of fondness that made the corners of his eyes crease as he took in the man's appearance.  
He was taller. Not quite as tall as Alastor himself, but still a good height. Not only that, but he could immediately recognize that Anthony looked more manly than he had before with broader shoulders and a sharper jawline.

"Why, I'd say that added height is a good look for you."  
Alastor chuckled, unable to take his eyes off of the blonde. It had been so long.

Anthony noticed the double-take, which only made his smile grow to a point it hurt, but it felt really good to have a reason to be smiling so wide. One thing that hadn't changed over time was the dimples. Those seemed to be there to stay.

Those dimples. Those damn dimples. Alastor would recognize Anthony from a mile away if he were smiling constantly with those dents on display.

"Levesque, lookin' fine as always."  
He said, reaching a hand out towards him to shake.  
"Been a while, huh?"  
As soon as they were about to shake hands, Anthony paused and shook his head. There were ways for men to hug without it looking strange and he was damn well going to take it.

Dropping his belongings, the blonde brought an arm around the taller man's torso while the other moved up and over his shoulder with a bit of a laugh. This kind of hug was often used among close friends and family that you hadn't seen in a long time, the kind that squeezes the person and lets them know that you've missed them.  
Alastor's scent was just as he remembered it to be too.

After holding it for a few moments, to make it less conspicuous, Anthony made sure to give the man a few pats on the back before retracting, smile still extremely wide.  
If he could, he wouldn't have let go. He missed this man's touch, scent... he missed him.

Alastor too paused as Anthony stopped before they could shake their hands, the older man's eyes widening slightly as Anthony brought him in for a formal sort of hug, complying and patting the Italian back before pulling away, making eye contact again.

"Yes, it certainly has been a while. It's nice to see you again."  
And to hear Anthony's voice in person rather over a crackling receiver, that was nice too.  
"My Mama is waiting indoors, the heat was getting to her I think."  
Alastor nodded, looking down to his hand and at the paper bag that was in his grip.  
"Oh yes, I have something for you as well. I suspect you're quite hungry, hm?"

Anthony couldn't wipe the smile off of his face even if he tried, bringing his arms up to stretch them out as his hands ran up through his hair as he listened to the man's voice. The very voice he could listen to for hours on end.  
His brows raised once he heard that Amélie had come along. He couldn't wait to see her again too, honestly.  
Upon the mention of food, however, the blonde's body almost relaxed as he let his arms down again.  
"Oh god, I'm starvin' now that y' mention it. Got somethin' for me?"  
He asked as he noticed the paper bag.

Chuckling slightly, Alastor handed the paper bag over with a nod, hoping that the sugar on the treats hadn't melted too much in the high temperature.  
"There's a few in there, but I wouldn't recommend eating them all now. They're quite sweet."  
He laughed slightly, the two of them beginning to walk off of the platform and back towards the inside of the station where Amélie was waiting in the waiting room.  
"So, how have you been? You're looking quite excellent, I will say."

Anthony graciously took the bag and nodded, taking a look inside to see what it was before picking up his luggage again. They looked amazing, whatever they were, and he was going to wait a bit before trying one.  
"I've been real great actually. I'll tell ya all about it when we get outta here."  
He said as they stepped inside, catching sight of Amélie.

The woman smiled widely as she approached the two men, her eyes wide.  
"Anthony? My goodness! You're hardly a boy anymore!"  
She exclaimed as she reached up and took hold of the Italian's chin, turning his face from side to side.  
"Look at you! So tall and defined!"

"Amélie, great t' see ya!"  
Anthony chuckled, bringing an arm around her in a careful hug.  
"You're lookin' great."  
He smiled. It was almost like he was coming home to family that he hadn't seen in forever and it was one of the best feelings. He could only wish his sister could have been apart of the experience.

Alastor watched with a grin as his mother welcomed Anthony, doing as all mothers did regardless of who they were speaking with, fussing about how much the other had grown over the years.  
"Mama took the day off especially, and I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I have the next two weeks off. There is much to both tell and show you, haha!"

Anthony's brows raised at the information he was given.  
"Ah, y' didn't have t' do that!"  
He said to both of them.

"Oh hush, it's been far too long and we've missed you, dear!"  
Amélie replied with a shake of her head.  
"I'm not sure if the two of you have predetermined plans, but I think the first step of your arrival would be to drop your things off at the hotel so you're not dragging everything around."

"Y' know, that does sound like a good plan."  
Anthony nodded, trying not to be obvious in the fact that he could hardly take his eyes off of Alastor.

"Well then, to the St Charles Hotel it is!"  
Alastor chimed in with a large grin.  
As they began to walk out of the station, Alastor did catch glimpse of the looks and stares Anthony was giving him, the blonde not being inconspicuous in the slightest.

As they neared the hotel, Alastor couldn't help but glance back at Anthony slightly, giving him a hint of a smug smirk before looking ahead again and raising his chin, turning to his mother.  
"Do you have plans for this evening, Mama?"

Amélie looked up at her son for a moment before shaking her head.  
"I have nothing lined up this evening, no. Why do you ask?"

Anthony raised a brow as the hotel came into view. Just as he remembered it.  
"I don't think we really had anythin' planned yet, so, why don't we all have dinner? I could cook somethin' up like last time or we could all go out?"  
The blonde suggested with a bit of a shrug.

Alastor nodded slightly at the idea, saying what he knew his mother was also thinking.  
"I'm sure you're quite exhausted from the journey up here. Why don't we all go out together somewhere? The restaurants won't be half as crowded as what they were when you last came, Anthony. Carnival season has long passed."

Anthony nodded and gave a toothy smile.  
"Sounds like berries t' me."  
He said, nudging the taller man lightly, repeating what he would say a lot the last time he visited.

Chuckling at Anthony's words paired with the nudge, Alastor could only grin. He couldn't wait to get even just a moment alone with Anthony. He had much to say.

"I'm gunna go check in and put my stuff in my room, so if you two wanna come sit inside outta this sun, by all means."  
He added as they came up to the large building.

Amélie hummed and gave a nod.  
"I can already tell the next two weeks are going to be an absolute delight with you back, Anthony."  
She said as they all headed inside.

"Yes I agree. Especially with you being here purely for leisure this time. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself all the more."  
Alastor added as they made it into the hotel.  
"We shall be sitting over here, Anthony. Take as long as you need, it's cool enough inside for us."  
He spoke up, gesturing towards a seating area where he and his mother could wait.

Anthony gave a nod as he made his way over to the desk while Alastor and Amélie made their way to sit down.

"He's grown so much from what I remember of him, wouldn't you say?"  
Amélie said as she sat down in one of the armchairs. She hadn't been inside this building before and she wasn't surprised when she saw that the inside was as luxurious as the outside.  
Alastor knew that his mother hadn't ever been in here, however, there wasn't really much need for either of them to do so. They lived in the city, so didn't need to set foot in a hotel unless they were, as they were with Anthony, visiting guests.

Taking a seat beside his mother in one of the chairs, Alastor crossed a leg, nodding slowly, trying not to sound too fond as he replied.  
"Yes, he has grown quite a lot, hasn't he. I'm sure he's pleased about that, no doubt. No longer will anyone mistake him for a mere boy."

Amélie smiled and gave a small chuckle.  
"I almost didn't recognize him at first."

Anthony was no more than ten minutes from checking in to going back down to the lobby, the brown paper bag still in hand.  
"Are we good t' go?"  
He asked as he set the bag down and started rolling his sleeves up.

When Anthony returned, Alastor and Amélie stood, Alastor offering the other man a smile.  
"Yes, I do believe we are. I know an excellent place we can go for food, one that is by no means too formal."  
He explained, watching as Anthony began to adjust his shirt. Through simply observation alone, Alastor could already see that while still slim, Anthony's lower arms had certainly toned up a little.

"I suppose it's good that Alastor and I missed lunch today."  
Amélie stated as they all left the lobby and out into the heat again.

Alastor had decided to bring them all to the place he had brought Anthony for their first dinner together, Casamento's restaurant.  
Of course, Anthony remembered the place well due to the disastrous first meal they had together with the crawfish and such.

As they all had dinner, mild conversation was had, Anthony having to keep things vague when Amélie asked him questions about his work and Anthony knew there were things Alastor wouldn't have been able to talk about with both his mother and the other patrons within earshot.

The meal was wonderful, Alastor grateful for the food after he hadn't eaten since breakfast early that morning. All of the conversations were pleasant, some parts vaguer than others as to not raise suspicion, naturally, but it was an excellent time nonetheless.

Once their meal was complete, the two men spent about five minutes of their time debating on who was going to pay the tab before finally coming to the agreement of splitting it, neither of them allowing Amélie to contribute.  
Then the three left the establishment, the blonde opening the paper bag with the beignets for dessert. They had caught his interest the moment he was presented with them.

"Wouldja like one?"  
Anthony asked as he offered the open bag to his local friends.

Alastor turned to Anthony, shaking his head.  
"No no, if I have one, I'll want to go and buy some more. I usually have restraint when it comes to sweet things, but I'm quite alright today."  
He laughed, looking across to his mother, knowing that at least she wouldn't turn down a beignet.

Amélie shook her head.  
"Thank you, but I have a few things I must tend to before nightfall and get home for rest straight after. I look forward to our next meeting, Anthony, and thank you for spending your time with me as well."  
She smiled.

Anthony shrugged and took one of the golden pillows from the bag for himself.  
"I'm here for two weeks without any real plans, so we'll see each other again real soon."  
He smiled before taking a bite of the beignet. It was fluffy and sweet, and an overall mouthful of delight.  
Putting the back of his hand to his lips as he chewed, he looked between Alastor and Amélie until he swallowed.  
"Y' get t' have these all the time? God, these are amazing!"

Amélie gave a small laugh and nodded.  
"That's a common reaction. Yes, we can get them at almost every baker here. Now, I'll be off. I'll see you, gentlemen, soon."  
She said before walking off.

"Stay safe Mama. I shall be home before too late."  
Alastor replied, waving her off as she began to walk away.  
A few brief seconds passed before he turned his attention back to Anthony, seeing him chewing on another one of the beignets. No surprise.  
"Why Anthony, those things are addictive I tell you. Are you not full from the meal?"  
He asked, the two of them beginning to walk in no particular direction.

"Not anymore apparently."  
The Italian shrugged as he finished the first one, making sure to close the bag to minimize temptation. That wasn't going to last long at all though.  
"So, where're we off to?"  
He asked as he made sure to wipe the sugar from the corners of his mouth and glanced up at the man.

Humming to himself in thought for a moment, looking around at where they were currently, it was then that Alastor had something of a pleasant idea.  
"How about we revisit an old memory, hm?"  
Alastor then spoke up, looking across at Anthony with a warm smile.  
"The carving in the tree is still there you know, naturally. Our tree still stands, haha."

Anthony's features softened at the mere mention of their tree. It had been so long since he even thought about it. It seemed to be a pleasant yet distant memory now.  
"That... would be real nice, Smiles. Let's go."  
He nodded as his smile widened again.

Nodding once more as Anthony agreed, Alastor began to lead them in the direction that was away from the main streets of the city, where their tree stood in an open area by a river.  
"There's much to discuss with you, and with Mama gone, I'm sure you can be much more open too. There are... a few things I have to tell you, Anthony; and I've missed you quite dreadfully, as I'm sure you already know."  
Alastor kept his voice relatively low as they left the main streets of the city, the scenery becoming denser with trees.

He did know it, but hearing it just made things hit him even harder and now that Amélie had gone, leaving the two alone, Anthony couldn't wait to have their time together.  
"'Course. Y' know I've missed you too, right? Findin' it kinda hard not t' hug ya right now."  
He said, keeping his voice hushed as well as he glanced around, seeing that there were still a few people on these streets and he could only hope that no one would be near their tree so they could talk and properly catch up.

Alastor chuckled at that, running a hand through his hair, waiting until a passerby had walked past them before he responded.  
"I never thought I'd say the words, but me too. It is getting increasingly difficult for me not to hug you with every passing moment."  
He smiled, the two of them turning a corner, a cluster of trees, the beginning of the small forest up ahead.  
"I'm sure it's been helpful, having Molly know about the two of us, no?"

Anthony tried to keep his cheeks from becoming a fiery red warzone. Since 1921, they hadn't been able to flatter each other or say anything remotely affectionate verbally, and words on paper were nice and all, but they didn't do the job nearly as well as a voice did.

"Yeah, she's been a real gem about it all."  
He replied with a bit of a chuckle.  
"Are ya implyin' that there's an us now? Is that what's happenin'?"  
He asked. It was strange but nice to be able to be cocky and sober at the same time; an indication that he felt safe.

Alastor swallowed slightly, raising his chin slowly as they walked off of the now dirt pathway and onto the grass, pushing past some low hanging trees.  
"'Us' can mean a number of things, Anthony. I don't believe I was implying any of them... without your permission of course. Although, judging by the redness of your dimpled cheeks, I would say I know very well what sort of 'us' you desire."  
Voice at a normal level now that they were alone, Alastor's confidence shone through as bright as his smile, the man grinning widely.

Being called out like that encouraged a light punch to the taller man's arm.  
"Psh, shaddup."  
Anthony laughed a little.  
"I could be sunburned already for all y' know."  
He said, trying to defend himself with humored and illogical banter.

Alastor once again laughed, however, it was clearly sarcastic, the man not believing Anthony for even a second. He'd barely been out in the sun.  
"Hm, that's quite funny, since I presumed you were partial to tanning, not burning, but I suppose things change."  
The rows of trees were getting thinner, a clearing up ahead with the river running in front of it, their tree now in plain sight.  
"Isn't it wonderful. It's grown quite a fair amount over time, even if it doesn't seem obvious."

Anthony looked around them a bit before his eyes settled on the tree. It did seem to have grown more moss over the span of the year and a half, and as they got closer, he could see the initials he'd carved into the bark that night. The letters had obviously become worn but they were still very much there.

The blonde's pace slowed a little as they came closer, his smile softening again.  
"I got no words..."  
He said softly, bringing a hand up once they got close enough and put his hand against the rough texture for a moment before tracing the 'A+A' carefully with his finger.

Alastor continued to smile warmly, a hand resting behind his back, the other reaching out to touch the bark as he sighed. He remembered watching as Anthony carved their initials drunkenly into the tree, and he remembered the way that Anthony had pressed a kiss to the carving too, as bizarre as that was.

"I'm sure many people have looked at this tree in between then and now, but unfortunately I don't believe any of them have paid the fine of one hundred thousand million dollars."  
Alastor added with another laugh, recalling how Anthony had said that if anyone were to even look at their tree, then a fine would have to be paid to them.

The Italian couldn't help but tilt his head back and close his eyes as he let out a breathy laugh, remembering that as well.  
"Well, I guess we'll just have t' go hunt 'em all down one by one, huh?"  
He said as his eyes slowly opened and looked over to the man with nothing but joy in his green oceans.  
"Can't believe y' remembered that."

"Hunting people down is always such entertainment... I'd be honored to do such a thing with you."  
Staring into Anthony's eyes as the other laughed, dimples almost shining, Alastor slowly nodded.  
"Of course I remembered. I didn't forget even a singular moment of our time together. No matter how drunk and nonsense spewing you were, haha!"

Anthony lowered his head again but kept his eyes on Alastor, his cheeks warming yet again as that night was brought up. Of course, he hadn't forgotten either, in fact, did a little more research on that subject.

Letting his hand fall from the bark again and to his side, his body turned towards the man slightly.  
"Anyway uh... y' had some things y' wanted t' talk about, right?"

As he was reminded, Alastor nodded, looking down to the ground before sitting down, leaning himself against the base of the tree.  
"Yes, there are a number of things I must discuss, but first... do you recall me telling you about my belief in 'things that are out of the ordinary'? I understand I mentioned it a long while ago now and haven't really talked much about it since, but, it is important that I do now."  
Alastor began.

Anthony sat next to him and set his bag of beignets in his lap.  
"I think I remember somethin' like that, yeah."  
He said with a nod, looking over at the tall man beside him.

"As you know, I practice voodoo."  
He continued, clearing his throat.  
"I have been for a while now. However, in 1921, shortly after you left, I summoned something."  
Alastor paused, looking to Anthony for any sort of reaction.  
"It was a mistake at first, by all means- I hadn't known that this entity was even there, but as soon as I noticed it, picked up on its presence, I summoned it. With the full intention of doing so."

Anthony slowly nodded as he grabbed yet another pastry to nibble on as they discussed.  
"Okay? I mean... I dunno the first think about this stuff or what it's even for so... y' know. I'll still listen but you're barkin' up the wrong tree if you're askin' for advice or somethin'."  
He replied before taking a bite of one of the golden sugary clouds.

Alastor knew that Anthony wouldn't have much useful advice per see, the blonde not even having known what voodoo was when they first met.  
"It's not quite advice I'm looking for."  
Alastor shook his head.  
"It's more me warning you about it. Letting you know that this entity exists. Even now. It's here to stay, and it can be quite... mischievous."

Normally, Anthony would have scoffed and said that he could take care of himself, but because this was Alastor, he took it a little more seriously.  
"Alright well, thanks for the heads up."  
He nodded.  
"Is there anythin' I should do or shouldn't do? I don't wanna go pissin' it off or nothin'."  
He was still a little skeptical and would need to see it and experience it before fully believing it.

"So far, there is nothing that necessarily 'annoys' it. It has a mind of its own, but I appreciate your understanding."  
Alastor completely understood Anthony's clear skepticism, but he was thankful that he was at least willing to listen. That meant a lot to Alastor, really.  
"I'm sure you'll get to see it eventually."

Watching as Anthony took another bite of one of the beignets, Alastor couldn't help but laugh at the sugar which seemed to be getting everywhere.  
"You've got-"  
He paused, taking a slight breath and leaning in a little closer, noticing Anthony leaning in too.  
"You've got sugar on your lips, Anthony dearest..."  
Alastor almost whispered.

When Anthony was leaning in, he was really just adjusting himself because of a root that he was sitting on was getting uncomfortable.  
"Well, yeah, th-"  
He was cut off but lips on his own, his eyes widening a little. He really wasn't expecting a kiss to happen so soon but complied anyway, letting himself relax and pressed his lips carefully against Alastor's in return.  
Nothing short of a satisfying wave overtaking his entire being. Anthony would have kissed him sooner but they had important matters to discuss first and didn't want to be entirely selfish in cutting the man off of his train of thought.

Alastor let his tense shoulders relax as he too melted into the kiss, eyes closing, slowly raising a hand and letting it rest gently against Anthony's cheek.  
It was a wonderful relief to be able to just be in Anthony's presence again like this, and despite the difficult communication throughout the years, nothing between the two of them had changed; and during their time apart, of course, Alastor had a long while to think and sort out his feelings, a very specific feeling in general. One that he had initially thought would never be felt for anyone. But alas...it seemed he was wrong.

"Anthony..."  
Alastor whispered to the other, gently pulling away.  
"I know you've been waiting a while to hear this... but I want to tell you now."  
He took yet another breath, wanting to be careful with what he said. He hadn't planned this out in his mind. He knew the words, but it was for some reason, difficult.

Anthony was reluctant in letting this moment end, but as Alastor spoke, his eyes slowly opened so he could see the man in front of him.  
The blonde remained relaxed as he examined Alastor's features from this close range while he could.

Slowly nodding, Anthony found his words after they'd been lost in his throat.  
"What is it?"  
He asked softly, now curious. There were a lot of things he had been waiting to hear.

Very slowly, his fond gaze still upon the Italian, Alastor found the words and the voice to speak.

"My first letter to you, do you remember what I said in it? What I said about taking time to know how I was feeling in regards to us."  
He started, eyes trailing to the grassy ground.  
"I have never been very good at voicing my feelings. I am, by nature, not somebody who talks openly about what I feel. But with you... Anthony, I feel that is possible. I do trust you, and, as bizarre as this is for me of all people to say... I love you too."

Anthony watched closely as Alastor spoke. Something told him that the man was stepping out of his comfort zone by voicing these thoughts. He didn't blame him at all for seeming nervous either, especially with the paired explanation.

Leaning away, the Italian smiled and put the half-eaten pastry in the bag and set it aside before turning back to Alastor.  
"I shouldn't've said that to ya b'fore. It was kinda stupid of me, but it ain't changed since then."  
He said as he leaned in again, placing a hand on Alastor's cheek and closed the gap for another sweet and tender kiss.  
Nothing lifted his heart more than hearing those words from the man. The next two weeks were going to be nothing but perfection.

Shaking his head, gently pulling away from the sweet kiss, Alastor huffed a laugh.  
"No, I'm glad that you told me before you left. It made me really think."  
With that, Alastor brought them back in for another kiss, smiling widely against Anthony's soft lips. He was addicted, he swore.

The relief was intense, Anthony feeling almost like he had never left in the first place. Everything from home quickly dissolving into nothingness as he accepted this as his new life. This was the life he wanted. This is what he had been dreaming of. He didn't care that they would have to hide from the public. As long as they got at least a little bit of time to themselves, everything couldn't be more perfect.

The Italian's soft smile continued even as he and Alastor kissed, having missed this more than anything.

All of this was terribly risky and in the eyes of most, wrong by all means, but Alastor was a man who didn't play by anyone's rules but his own. This was thrilling and terrifying and everything that Alastor could have wanted. Anthony was everything Alastor could have ever wanted.

This was something Alastor missed and felt every time he read one of Anthony's letters. Every time he listened to his voice down the distorted line of the telephone, and every time he kissed him. It was beyond a feeling of joy, beyond any entertainment that murdering and hurting the innocent could bring.

After a few more moments, Anthony had to pull away for breath.  
"I missed you so much, Smiles..."  
He whispered against his lips, his eyes staying closed and hand still gently on the man's cheek.  
"So much..."  
He repeated as he brushed his lips against Alastor's.

Letting his forehead rest against Anthony's, eyes closed, Alastor again huffed another laugh, feeling the other man's gentle touch to his cheek.  
"I've missed you too, Anthony."  
Alastor chuckled.  
"And the-"  
He paused, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end as a chill wracked his body, feeling a hand tapping him three times on the shoulder before the quiet yet loud voice whispered right in his ear.  
"Someone's coming..."

Anthony's eyes opened at the sudden hesitation displayed by Alastor, wondering if something might have happened.

Slowly pulling away, Alastor, glanced behind him, the shadow clearly on display behind him against the tree trunk, tall and menacing, pools of red for eyes.  
"Anthony, I do believe there is someone close by."

As the man looked behind him, Anthony did as well, seeing a dark mass lurked behind the man. It seemed to take the form of Alastor but only as a shadow and... moved freely and independently. It clearly wasn't something natural.

As soon as Anthony saw it, he tensed and slowly leaned away from Alastor, both because he was slightly frightened and unsure, as well as what Alastor had just said.  
Again, the Italian was at a loss for words.

Sitting up slightly and looking around them, in the close distance there what looked to be a family, just passing by no doubt, but still, Anthony and Alastor would have to probably hide or at least look less suspicious.  
"Come on, they'll be walking past any minute now."  
Alastor spoke, quickly standing and offering a hand up for Anthony. That was when he noticed the unsure look on the Italian's face and a tense posture.  
"Anthony, it won't hurt you. I promise."

It took Anthony a moment, watching as the shadow figure slunk back behind the tree and out of sight before grabbing his bag of pastries and accepted the help up.  
"I guess we'll talk more about that when there's less distraction."  
The blonde replied with a bit of a nod, then glanced up.  
"I'll climb up, you stay."  
He said as he handed the bag to the man.

Because Anthony had grown, he was able to reach the lowest branch without having to jump up like he had in the past and he had grown stronger since then too.  
Pulling himself up, he made sure that he was up out of sight before looking down at the man.

Nodding at Anthony's instruction, Alastor reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out his notebook, opening it up and leaning back against the tree stump after setting the bag of pastries down, trying to look as if he was simply sitting out in the woods on a warm day, reading.

Glancing up briefly, Alastor nodded at Anthony once again before looking away, the family close now within earshot.

While up in the tree, the blonde leaned back and simply watched Alastor from above with an admiring smile.

As the family of four continued on their way, the man nodded in Alastor's direction with a tip of his hat and a quick 'afternoon' as they all passed by. The woman had a basket with her, so they were all likely off to enjoy a meal outside.

Anthony watched both Alastor and the family as everything smoothly continued on. Once he was sure they were in the clear again, the blonde smirked and reached down, bringing his fingers through the man's hair from above.  
"Your hair's gettin' long. Still soft as I remember though."  
He hummed.

Alastor was just about to look up at Anthony when the family was out of view when he felt fingers running through his hair, the butcher's smile lighting up.

"I know. Mama won't stop going on about the length of it, saying it's not presentable. I highly disagree though, it's hardly over an inch longer than what it would be normally. I quite like this look regardless."  
He chuckled with a smile, leaning his head back against the tree again, eyes briefly closing.  
"I suppose we should talk about what you saw, hm?"

Anthony made himself a little more comfortable as he continued carefully raking his fingers through the chocolate brown locks.  
"Mm, yeah, that might be an alright idea."  
He said with a bit of a shrug.

Eyes still very much closed in relaxation as Anthony carded gentle hands through his hair, Alastor let out a sigh.  
"As I said, I think this entity is here to stay. It has no apparent ill intent towards myself, I don't believe, but it still piques my curiosity. I have much to learn both about it, and from it... any questions?"

Anthony listened, and by the sounds of it, even after all this time that the being had been around, Alastor still had minimal information. Either that or he was distracted by his loving actions, or perhaps his presence in general?

Maneuvering himself so his legs hooked on the branch he laid on, the Italian let himself fall back out of the tree so that he could properly look at Alastor.  
Pausing once he was situated and next to the man, but upside down, Anthony shook his head.  
"Don't think so. As long as it ain't gunna hurt you, me, or your ma, that's all I really care about. Everythin' else is probably gunna go in one ear and come out the other 'cause I ain't got any idea how this magic stuff works."

Alastor's eyes soon opened again as he heard movement on the sturdy branch above him, the man tilting his head to the side as Anthony hung down beside him.  
"I'm quite sure that it won't."  
He smiled, reaching across to gently cup Anthony's cheek, pressing a soft kiss there despite the awkward angle.

Anthony's nose scrunched a bit at the kiss as his grin widened with a small chuckle.

"I would like to find out more about it, so I can guarantee what the entity truly is, however the books I have on New Orleans voodoo don't speak of shadow entities such as the one I have with me. In fact, no books I have come across seem to."

"As long as you're careful."

Anthony replied before placing a kiss to Alastor's cheek in return.

Alastor just smiled even wider at the kiss that was placed to his cheek. He'd really missed this, even as a very unaffectionate person, he'd missed this.  
"I'm aways careful, Anthony dearest."  
He chuckled, leaning his head back once again and closing his eyes.  
"How's your sister, back at home? I know one of your letters mentioned your father attempting to find a suitor for her. Any particular reason? She's awfully young still."

Pulling himself up again so he could properly get down again, the Italian unhooked his legs and set his feet back down on the ground.  
"She's doin' good. A lotta stuff is goin' on with all that. He started lookin' shortly after Gio got married 'cause of somethin' that happened I ain't told ya much about yet. It was what got pops all bent outta shape and went nuts on me."  
He said, glancing down at his right hand, the one that had been injured.

Shuffling up a little on the grass to give Anthony more room as he sat down, Alastor nodded.  
"Well, you've got a full two weeks here. You don't have to tell the full story now if you do not wish."  
He explained, reaching into his jacket pocket again and pulling out his cigarette box, a different one to the one he'd had a few years back.

Anthony folded his arms over his chest and leaned back against the trunk of the tree.  
"Well, might as well get it all out now so we can have more time t' just... relax."  
He shrugged, looking down at the man. It would be good for him to clear the air about all that had happened as well, seeing as the topic hadn't been brought up in verbal conversation or in letters after it was briefly explained the first time.

Nodding again, Alastor smiled. Anthony probably hadn't talked about much of this with anyone, so to hear it would be nice, and he was glad that Anthony trusted him enough to discuss matters of his family.  
"Well then, I'm all ears, haha!"

Anthony gave a bit of a hum as he started to gather his thoughts and figure out where to begin.

"Alright, so, remember the seamstress I mentioned? Molly went t' go visit her after we visited mom. 'Course pops didn't know about this plan 'cause he doesn't want her bein' friends with anyone outside of our allies. So, that night, I took her there and made the promise that as long as she got back home b'fore dad woke up, she could stay the night."  
He began.

"Some things happened, she kissed her, she kissed back and then some guy came in, threw Molly out and callin' her a buncha stuff. Molly walked home in the cold without a coat lookin' like a complete wreck. Dad and Gio came into the kitchen after I found her and brought her inside, dad got mad, lost his mind on me while Gio took Molly up to her room. Things after that are kinda fuzzy but I know Molly never told anyone but me about what happened with the seamstress."  
Anthony said as he rubbed the left side of his head.

"Since then, I guess dad's got it in his head that Molly needs a man in her life t' help keep her in line or somethin', but she's comin' up with somethin' wrong with each cat she's presented with since it started."  
The blonde then sighed, running his fingers through his hair.  
"It's all just a big scramble."

"Why that certainly is quite the predicament your sister and you ended up in."  
Alastor nodded as he listened to what Anthony had to say, storing the information away and coming up with a few theories of his own as to what Anthony was telling him.

"And your sister rejecting every suitor her father puts before her. Sounds quite like something out of a fairytale to me. But you know, if her attractions lie elsewhere away from men, then it's only natural that she is going to be rejecting the majority. She sounds like quite the stubborn character from what you've told of her."  
Alastor observed, quietly lighting up a cigarette and taking a drag, offering one to Anthony as he did so.

There was one little thing that Alastor was quite curious about though.  
"And the seamstress? Whatever became of her, hm? Did your sister simply never return to her store?"

Anthony couldn't help the small laugh that escaped him as he accepted a cigarette.  
"Oh, ho ho, boy, is that a story!"  
He laughed with a shake of his head.  
"As soon as I heard what happened, I knew I wasn't gunna just let the broad get away with it."  
He explained as he lit the end of his cigarette with his lighter, something he had acquired over the years.

"Now, keep in mind no one could know about this interaction just 'cause it was my sister involved, so a hit couldn't be put on her unless a reason was given."  
Anthony chuckled.  
"I ah... I may or may not have taken matters into my own hands and gone over and taken care of both Nancy and her man. 'Course, I would never do somethin' so outta line."  
He glanced down at Alastor and winked, clarifying that he really did.  
"All for fun too."

Alastor watched the flame as Anthony lit his own cigarette with a lighter, the older man's interest and full attention being given to the blonde as he spoke. His smile just grew and grew, the corners of his eyes creasing again from it, a low and highly amused chuckle escaping Alastor's lips as he ran a hand through his hair, looking slowly over to the blonde.  
"Is that so..."  
He spoke rather slyly, for some reason feeling almost proud.  
"Why, you did what you had to. Someone hurt a member of your family that you hold most dear, so in return, you may or may not have contributed to their demise. It's completely justified, and brilliant, quite frankly. Anthony, I do truly admire you at times."  
He ended on a sigh, letting the cigarette rest between his teeth as he lay back a little more against the tree.

"At times? Not all the time? Geez, didn't think I was that low in your ranks."  
The Italian chuckled, merely teasing the man.

"Ahaha, worry not Anthony. If you were that low in my ranks, you would have been dead already."  
Alastor spoke lightheartedly, reaching up to give the blonde a friendly slap on the back.

"Thing is though, Molly doesn't know. I hid the article from her and everythin'. She told me not t' worry about it but honestly, nothin' happens t' my sister without someone payin' for it."  
Anthony paused, taking a drag.  
"God, it was real fun though. I really went all out for that one just 'cause I didn't have any guidelines t' follow."

In regards to this rather pleasant surprise, if his smile got any wider, Alastor swore his face would break.  
"I want to know everything."  
He spoke.  
"Every detail, your method, how they reacted- I want to know it all."  
He was very invested, clearly.

Anthony knew Alastor would want to hear everything, and honestly, he was happy he could tell this man everything... or, close to everything.

"Well, first thing t' note is that no gun was used this time. It was kinda weird for me 'cause I've only ever used heat."  
He explained. This was because he could barely hold a spoon at the time, but that detail wasn't important.  
"What I did when I got there at maybe two in the mornin', dolts didn't even have their door locked so I put my gloves on, went in, went t' the kitchen and grabbed the biggest knife I could find."

Anthony moved to sit in front of Alastor so they could have a proper conversation despite the subject matter.  
"I guess the guy heard me and came down t' deal with me. Bad idea 'cause I heard him comin', so I hid in the little closet just offa the stairs as he came down. Once his back was to me, just jumped his ass and lost it on 'im. Can't remember how many times I stabbed him but it was bad enough t' hurt my hand more than it already was."  
He said, opening and closing his right hand in a fist, remembering the pain he was in.

"The broad heard it and came runnin' down, I had t' switch hands 'cause this one couldn't handle anymore, so her job was really really sloppy, but got done nonetheless."  
Anthony shrugged.  
"Changed my clothes and went home. Not exactly the cleanest job, but it was pretty nice hearin' Nance ask why I was doin' it 'cause she recognized me from the shop I guess. When I said Molly's name she kept sayin' nasty things about her so that didn't help her case."

Alastor listened with much captivation, feeling almost as if he was at a picture show with how intriguing Anthony's story was.  
Of course, Alastor had no idea what the seamstress and her man looked like, however, that didn't mean that he couldn't vividly imagine the beautiful scenario, Anthony brutally stabbing the pair, giving the fools what they undoubtedly deserved.

"Revenge is sweet, is it not?"  
Alastor hummed, chuckling softly under his breath.  
"You used gloves and you got it done quickly, and I'm presuming that was a while ago now, so you clearly did the job well."

"Yeah, it was just not long after Molly gave me your letters after holdin' onto 'em. That's when she told me what happened too."  
Anthony said as he took a drag of his waiting cigarette, having forgotten about it until now.  
"Oh yeah, then Gio got married, as I've mentioned, and he's got his first kid on the way. That's why I'm here. I'll be moved up t' take his place while he's with the wife startin' October and the kid shows up in November. Somethin' of a break b'fore things get busy."

Alastor nodded as Anthony explained the circumstances and situation with Giovanni's marriage and the fact that Anthony would be stepping up to take his place.  
"Your hand, may I see it?"  
Alastor asked, glancing towards the blonde's right hand.

The Italian's brows raised slightly at the question but nodded regardless, moving closer and held his hand out for Alastor to examine.  
It looked normal now but there were still things that he couldn't do for long periods of time and had to adapt to a new way of doing things.

Alastor gently took Anthony's hand in his own, examining the top of it, running a finger across each of his bones in the hand.  
"It still hurts to do much with it, you say?"  
He asked, seeing the way that one of Anthony's fingers twitched slightly when he pressed down on the corresponding knuckle.

Anthony nodded.  
"The break was here and here-"  
He said as he pointed to the parts that connected to his index and middle finger.  
"I can't bend either one completely without the other, so it's hard usin' a gun normally, but I figured it out. Usin' it too much, in general, gets t' be too much sometimes too, but I got stuff for the pain if it comes t' that."  
He explained.  
"Drawin' for example. I can go thirty minutes to an hour if I'm careful, but after then I'll have t' take a break."

Nodding again, Alastor looked a little closer before letting go of the blonde's hand.  
"Yes, they must have been quite nasty breaks, and with you still using your hand so much, it's no wonder that it aches, but, I'm quite positive that eventually, the pain will ease. Perhaps Mama can look at it for you and give you her opinion."

"I'm sure she's got enough goin' on right now, so I don't wanna add t' that."  
Anthony shrugged and took his hand back.  
"The shakin' would be nice t' get rid of though..."  
He muttered before shaking his head.  
"Anyway. How's your stuff goin'? Work and play, I mean.

At the topic change, Alastor perked up a little.  
"Ah, well work has been the same as always. Simply something to tide me over before I can 'play' on occasion."  
He smiled, eyes narrowing smugly.  
"And there is something awfully entertaining that has been happening as of late. To do with one of my neighbors, actually."

Anthony tilted his head slightly as he shifted a bit so he could be more comfortable.  
"Oh yeah? Give the details."  
He smiled a little, more than happy to listen to everything Alastor had to say. He missed his genuine voice without the technology interference and missed having his face to focus on while he spoke.

"Did you know that ingestion of the plant hemlock, even the smallest amount, is potentially enough to kill a man?"  
Alastor began, his smile seemingly innocent and wide.

"I didn't."  
The blonde replied simply with a shake of his head, taking a drag of his cigarette.

"Any part of the plant is toxic, Anthony. And when the thing started growing naturally by the bayou in the springtime of this year, that's when I got my idea."

Anthony nodded along, taking note of everything told to him assuming it would be important information.

"The neighbor, an elderly man who had been ill with a back injury for quite some time, suddenly fell even sicker one night. Now, being a nurse, my mother is usually the one to tend to any neighbors who fall ill. It's much easier than calling for a doctor. However, this particular evening, she was on shift and I happened to be home. There have been a number of occasions where I have helped out my mother tending to another- I have quite the knowledge of the human body."  
Shifting forwards, Alastor quickly took off his jacket, feeling quite warm in the humid air.  
"Anyways, I was alone with the neighbor, and I had an idea. The hemlock was still in my possession, so I thought why not. The poor man, thinking I was helping him, oh Anthony, it was simply delightful. I used the smallest amount, of course, I didn't want to kill him just yet. There's no fun if someone you can play just dies immediately, no no, I wouldn't have wanted that at all. He's still alive now... just."

Anthony continued to nod along as the story was told, raising a brow.  
"So, this one's just an experiment with this plant? Or didja already know about it and just happened t' stumble upon it recently, never havin' worked with it b'fore. I just wanna make sure I got all the facts right."  
He said as he brought his arm up to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

Raising a brow, Alastor shook his head.  
"No no, I've read about the plant for years. I just never had any active use for it, but as soon as it started growing near the rest of my plants, the idea came to mind."  
He shrugged, noticing that Anthony looked rather warm, despite them sitting in the shade of the tree.

"Okay, I think I got it now."  
The blonde nodded, leaning back on his hands and looking up at the leaves just overhead.  
"That's your most recent game, right? There ain't been anythin' else notable in the time we've been apart or since y' started tending to the man?"

Nodding again, Alastor sighed.  
"Well, there have been a few things I've done to pass the time, however, nothing quite as ingenious as this, I will say. I know Rosie was quite worried about my games a few years ago, worrying that I was getting too sloppy, but not anymore. No one suspects a thing."

"Rosie... y' mentioned her a few times b'fore. Have I met her? I can't remember."  
The blonde's brows furrowed as he tried to recall who it was Alastor was talking about so he could put a name to a face.

It was then that Alastor realized he still had yet to properly and officially introduce Anthony to the woman.  
"You briefly saw her your first day here, when I was showing you to the hotel. Quite distracting if you ask me, but she was wearing a rather large hat. Again one of the following nights as well I believe."  
He would definitely have to introduce the two of them properly.  
"You might not remember, however, she, regrettably, knows quite a bit about you. Worry not, her lips are sealed."

Anthony gave a nod before shaking his head.  
"No, I figured that 'cause she knows about your fun, she wouldn't blab about us."  
A smile pulled at his lips as those words left his mouth. To acknowledge and validate their seemingly official relationship made the blonde giddy.

Alastor noticed the smile, and just as Anthony did, the brunette smiled in return.  
"Yes... us."  
He repeated, almost testing out the words now that it had been officially acknowledged. It was wonderful, really.  
"But we should see her. Ever since her daughter moved, the atmosphere at her home is simply divine."

The Italian gave another nod, his smile widening.  
"Well, we got two weeks of freedom. We can go whenever y' want."  
He said as he slumped back to lay back in the grass. He hadn't been able to do this since the last time he was in the city. New York had parks and grassy areas one could go to, but he hardly had the time to relax like that. He couldn't do it at home either because he would be questioned.  
With a sigh, he kept his eyes up on the leaves and the bits of sky that managed to sneak through. It was so good to be back.

"We do not have to see Rosie this evening then. I'm sure she won't mind, and I can imagine you simply want to relax, hm?"  
Alastor asked, looking over at Anthony, smiling softly before he lay down properly as well, glancing across at him.  
"I'm so glad you're here, Anthony."

Anthony looked over at Alastor as he joined him, his smile widening.  
"I'm glad t' be here. You have no idea."  
He replied as he leaned closer and placed a kiss to the man's cheek.

Alastor could only smile, feeling nothing but happiness at that moment.  
"I love you, Anthony dearest."  
He chuckled, reaching across to press a kiss to Anthony's cheek in return.

If it was possible, Anthony's smile only grew.  
"I love you too, Alastor, amore mio."  
He replied with a very faint giggle.  
"Sto sognando..."  
He added with a sigh, rubbing his face.

Laying back down again properly, Alastor took in a deep breath.  
For a while longer, the two of them simply laid on the grass, staring up at the sky peeking through the leaves of their tree, talking quietly amongst themselves and catching up.  
After a while, even though the sun hadn't started to set just yet, Alastor knew it was getting late, the evening beginning. His mother would most likely still be out, knowing that she took time with the jobs she had about the city, but Anthony seemed tired, especially after having traveled for ages.

"Would you like to head back into the city any time soon?"  
Alastor slowly voiced, yawning softly.  
"I can walk you back to the hotel if you wish. Or if you want, we can head back on the streetcar to my home. Mama should be back shortly."

Anthony, now laying with his eyes closed, hummed softly before speaking. He was tired, but he wasn't ready to leave Alastor's side just yet, or ever.  
"Hmmm... let's head back to your joint. I shouldn't sleep yet or I'll be up b'fore the sun."  
He said softly, opening his shining green eyes as the sun hit his face from between the leaves and looked at the man beside him.

Sitting up slightly onto his elbows, Alastor tilted his head as he looked down at Anthony, focusing on his eyes and the way his skin shone in patches, the sun lighting up his face as it peaked through the leaves.  
"Alright."  
Alastor breathed out, unable to tear his fond gaze away from the man beside him, simply in a trance.

The Italian watched the man closely with a gentle smile on his face, staring right back at him with a matching fondness.  
Anthony truly felt like he loved this man and this man reciprocated. He couldn't believe how fortunate he was to have met Alastor in the first place, and to be here with him now was just the cherry on top.

Giving a smirk, Anthony gestured for Alastor to come closer.

With something of a sappy smile on his face now, Alastor slowly shuffled up closer to the man, he supposed, he could call his lover now.  
Not a word was needed as Alastor again tilted his head in question.

The blonde brought a hand up and carefully cupped the man's cheek, tilting his head as well as he silently took in his features and gently stroked his cheek with his thumb.  
"I love you."  
He soon whispered, eye locked and lost in the deep brown of Alastor's.

Alastor let Anthony do as he wished, leaning into the man's gentle touch, embracing everything about this moment that he knew would forever stay with him.  
The words that were spoken, Alastor felt them within his heart to be true. He felt them within his entire being, and he couldn't not reciprocate.  
"I love you too."  
Anthony never failed to bring out even the rarest of smiles in him.

Now propping himself up, Anthony placed a quick kiss to the man's lips with his smile everlasting.  
"We should get goin'."  
He hummed, closing his eyes as he placed his forehead against Alastor's.  
"As much as I'd love t' stay like this with ya."

Alastor too let his eyes close, slowly pulling away from Anthony after a few moments.  
"You're quite right. At least the temperature has cooled, even if slightly."  
Alastor chuckled, slowly managing to get to his feet with a yawn, stretching his limbs out.

Grabbing his jacket and pulling it back on, Alastor pulled out a pocket watch, checking the time.  
"We have half an hour until the next streetcar, so that gives us plenty of time to get there."

Anthony got up as well, patting himself down. It seemed that the sweets Alastor had given him were taking their toll. The blonde was getting kicked in the rear with fatigue from what he supposed was the aftermath of a sugar high.

Checking his own watch, Anthony nodded and stepped closer so he and Alastor were more or less face to face.  
"What wouldja do if I turned out taller than you?"  
He asked. A random question, but something that had only just come to mind.

Alastor raised a slight brow at Anthony's question, giving the blonde a once over, taking a look at his height now they were stood face to face.  
"Well, first of all, I would probably congratulate you."  
He chuckled, reaching down to the grass to pick up and pocket the book that he had been pretending to write in when that family had passed earlier.

Anthony gave a small laugh.  
"Anyone taller than you would be too much, I think. Only God can see the top of your head."  
He said before kissing the man's lips once more.  
"Anythin' else? Y' said that was first, so were there other things?"

With a bit of a smirk, starting to walk now away from their tree, Alastor could only chuckle.  
"Lastly, I would ask you why it took you so long, haha!"  
He let out with a cheery laugh, presuming that Anthony was following behind him as he kept on slowly walking.

Anthony's face became blank with an unamused stare as he started trailing behind the man, muttering something under his breath in Italian.

Alastor could only chuckle, the two of them continuing on their way in the direction they'd come, back towards the city again.

Their walk to the stop was rather quiet, Anthony growing more and more tired as a result of the heat, his sugar crash, and his travels, but continued to push onward.  
They made it to the stop on time and the ride was as Anthony remembered it even through his exhaustion.

Once off of the car, the two men made their way to Alastor's abode. Not much had changed from what Anthony could see.  
He did remember to take his shoes off before entering the house though, so his brain wasn't entirely mushed just yet.

Alastor could tell that Anthony was tired as they came up to the house.  
"You're welcome to take a nap if you wish. I don't believe Mama is home."  
Alastor smiled as he took off his shoes and jacket, hanging it up as he closed the door behind them, leaving it unlocked for Amélie when she came home.

Once inside, Anthony undid the top button of his shirt and let out a heavy breath, the air much cooler now that they were inside and out of the sun.

"Hm? Oh, no I'll be alright."  
The blonde smiled and stretched his arms out a bit as he moved further into the home.  
Again, nothing had really changed, but that wasn't a bad thing.

Letting Anthony look around the place, Alastor walked into the kitchen, glancing over his shoulder.  
"Would you like a drink?"  
He called, presuming that Anthony would, given how hot it was outside.

"Water's fine."  
Anthony replied with a bit of a yawn, lazily following the man into the kitchen. He didn't want to be further than arms reach from him.

Pouring both a drink for him and Anthony, Alastor passed it across, taking a sip of his own as he leaned against the counters.  
"You're exhausted."  
He spoke after a moment, watching the blonde yawn.  
"You'll have plenty of time to talk with me the rest of the two weeks, but for now I would rest if I were you."

Anthony took a small sip of his water before shuffling closer to the man, he placed his chin against his shoulder and leaned into him, setting his glass down on the counter behind the man.  
"I took a nap b'fore I got here. I'll be okay."  
He said with a smile, taking in more of Alastor's scent.

Setting his own glass down to, Alastor turned a little more towards Anthony, slowly wrapping an arm around him as he placed his chin against his shoulder.  
"Are you sure?"

Anthony slowly nodded, eyes closing for a moment as he embraced the moments of freedom they could share while they had next to zero chance of being caught.

Moving around so that Anthony was facing him, Alastor was able to wrap both arms around him in a warm embrace, letting his eyes slowly close.  
"Alright..."

Anthony smiled and slowly brought his arms around Alastor, sighing as he let himself relax. He hadn't been able to be this calm and even feel this safe since the last time.

Turning his head slightly so his cheek could rest on Alastor's shoulder now, he could feel himself slowly starting to drift.

Gently swaying as he held Anthony, Alastor brought a hand up to carefully card through the other man's hair, soft blonde locks running through his fingers.  
It was pure bliss, especially after so long of not having seen Anthony in person. This, to Alastor, was nothing but perfection.

The fingers going through his hair didn't help him stay awake, Anthony melting and becoming weaker by the moment.  
It was as he felt himself slowly sinking further down that he forced himself out of the grasp of sleep and tightened his hold on Alastor, eyes slowly opening.  
"Okay... I'm gunna pass out standin' up if y' keep that up."  
He chuckled.

Looking down at Anthony as he began to sink down in his hold, Alastor fought the urge to say 'I told you so' as the Italian finally admitted to being tired.  
"You may sleep in my room if you wish. I shall be down here reading."  
He nodded, still keeping his arms around Anthony, but now looking towards the door of the kitchen.

The blonde shook his head, arms tightening around the man again.  
"I ain't ready t' let go yet. I know I'm here for a while but I gotta make up for the lost time."

It was then, at Anthony's reply, that Alastor had an idea.  
"Then... would you prefer it if I lay with you instead? That way, you don't have to let go just yet."  
He explained with a fond smile, reaching out to stroke a thumb over Anthony's cheek.

Anthony pulled away and looked up at the butcher, green pools tired yet still shining.  
He nodded with a sigh, kissing his cheek once more before letting go.  
"I'd like that a lot."

Nodding firmly, Alastor gently took Anthony's hand, leading him out of the kitchen and towards the stairs.  
"Just don't fall asleep on your way up, haha!"  
He chuckled, leading Anthony up the stairs and finally to his room. Again, not much had changed over the years, only the placement of some of the bookshelves.

Anthony smirked and squeezed Alastor's hand lightly as he followed, too tired to make any comment on that.  
He looked around the room once they made it up, his focus only on the bed, making his way over and flopping down onto it.

Alastor closed the door and pulled the curtains across, keeping the window open so that they could still get some air in the room.  
From there, he moved over to his desk and picked up a book that he had been reading as of late before bringing it over to his bed.  
"Get some rest, Anthony."  
Alastor smiled, scooting onto the bed beside the blonde, letting his book rest in his lap for a moment.

The moment Anthony's cheek met Alastor's chest, the tired blonde's eyes closed and found himself falling asleep much faster than he thought.  
It was fine though, Anthony felt safe and he was actually very happy to have the opportunity to rest like this.

As time passed, Alastor seemed to have fallen asleep as well.  
Amélie had come home, not seeing the two pairs of shoes anywhere and went upstairs to gather laundry. Monday's were usually the day for that, however, she had been working throughout the day both Monday and Tuesday, so today was going to be the day she got caught up.

Quietly opening Alastor's bedroom door, the woman had set out to collect her son's clothes, but immediately froze when she saw the two men asleep on the bed, Alastor holding the smaller blonde carefully in his arms.  
Amélie took a moment to really process the situation before slowly backing out of the room again, making sure to close the door.

This was hardly something she ever expected to see and decided it best to simply continue on as if she hadn't seen anything to begin with, only focusing on her own laundry for the time being. She would get to Alastor's later.


	40. Chapter 40

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Thursday, August 2nd, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

It was dark out, well into the night when Alastor found himself waking up with a quiet groan, lifting his head, finding his arms around Anthony who was still softly snoring away. A few hours at most must have passed, Alastor having fallen asleep with Anthony in his arms, the two of them sound asleep in each other's embraces.  
Looking around the darkened room, the man slowly managed to maneuver himself to sit up and off the bed, hoping to not disturb the blonde too much.  
He wanted to check to see if his mother was home safely and to get something to snack on since he was quite hungry.

Luckily Anthony had gone undisturbed but was reluctant to let Alastor leave, giving him a bit of a fight but eventually settled on cuddling with a pillow in the man's place.

Once Alastor had gone downstairs, the home was dark, but there were two plates of food left on the table.  
Amélie had made both Alastor and Anthony some food, seeing as they all had a late lunch.

The man smiled upon seeing the plates, making a mental note to thank his mother when she woke up in the morning.  
Grabbing both of the plates, he knew that it was quite improper to be eating in a bedroom, but Anthony had come here to relax and Alastor was off on vacation from work for two weeks as well.  
So, with the two plates of food and needed cutlery in hand, he quietly snuck his way back upstairs to his room, turning on the dim lamp that was on his desk so there was some light.  
Moving back to his bed, Alastor set the two plates aside and gently tapped Anthony twice.

The blonde immediately began to stir as his body realized something was off compared to how he'd fallen asleep, his face scrunching and eyes squeezing shut before blinking them open with a soft groan.  
It took another moment for him to process where he was and that he was holding a pillow instead of his partner.

Turning his head, his eyes finally focused on Alastor in the dim light as a small smile came to his lips.  
"Ciao..."  
He mumbled.

Alastor smiled softly, stretching his arms out behind his head as took the pillow that Anthony had been holding, and pushed behind himself so he could sit up properly.  
"Did you sleep well, my dear? I think we were both out cold for quite a while. Four hours at least."

Anthony rubbed his eyes and slowly sat up with a soft hum.  
"Best sleep I've had in a while, I can say that much."  
He replied, looking around for a moment and then back to Alastor.  
"How about you, amore?"  
That felt a little weird to say, but a nice kind of weird.

Alastor hummed in turn, huffing a laugh at the word Anthony had used, having a good idea of what it meant.  
"I'm very good, thank you. I must have not known I was so tired, but it was a refreshing sleep nonetheless."  
He nodded before bringing the attention over to the food that was just on the table to the side of his bed.  
"I believe Mama made supper earlier and left us some. I brought it up, presuming you didn't really want to get up."

Anthony was in the midst of once again rubbing his face in hopes that it would wake him up a little more. The mention of Alastor's mother made him pause and lower his hands slowly.  
"Wouldn't... that mean she saw us? Or didja get up b'fore then and make it look like we weren't-"

Alastor waved his hand with a shake of his head, thinking nothing of it.  
"She most likely saw your shoes out on the porch and knew you were here."  
He then nodded.  
"She would have knocked if she knew I was in here, and I would have woken up. Don't worry, she didn't see us."

Anthony slowly nodded, bringing a hand up to run his fingers through his hair as he came down from his mild panic.  
"Right... okay."  
He sighed.  
"What time is it?"

Looking to the clock on the wall, Alastor sighed.  
"Almost midnight."  
He informed, looking across to the food again.  
"Do you want any? I'm afraid it's gone cold now, but it's just as good, I promise."

Anthony nodded and moved closer, letting his legs hang off the side of the bed and put his feet down flat on the floor.  
"I'd love some."  
He said with a small smile, fixing his hair a bit so it would cover the scar properly.

Reaching across to grab the two plates of food, Alastor carefully passed one over to Anthony before grabbing another for himself.  
"Bon appétit."  
He chuckled before taking a bite.

"Buon appetito."  
Anthony smiled and picked up the fork.  
"So, what're we gunna do? Were there places y' wanted t' take me while I'm here?"  
He asked as he was taking the first bite of food.

Humming in thought for a moment, Alastor slowly nodded.  
"Yes, I would like you to hear a real jazz band. I know you came across a few the last time you were here, but ever since then the love for such things really has boomed, I will say."  
He chuckled, pausing a moment as he remembered having read something in the newspaper a few days back.  
"Ah yes, and of course, there's the summer carnival in around a week or so. Happens every year. Perhaps we could go to that."

"Carnival?"  
The blonde asked.  
"What's that about? I dunno if I've ever heard of that."  
He added between bites of food, which, even cold, was very flavorful and delicious.

Of course Anthony wouldn't have ever been to a carnival before, but Alastor was a little surprised to hear that he didn't even _know_ what one was.  
"It's a fair. You know, with carousel rides and games like hoop toss. Like when the circus visits."

Anthony was silent again, looking at the man and, after a few moments, responded with a bit of a shrug. He hadn't been to or even heard of these things before.

Alastor simply chuckled, waving his hand in the air, realizing that Anthony probably hadn't been exposed to things like these before.  
"Ah, well then. That just gives us even more reason to go to together. Your first summer carnival, haha!"

Anthony smiled.  
"I'm lookin' forward to it, whatever it is-"  
He said as he took another bite.  
"So, what 'cha do at these things? What's it all about? Is it what 'normal' people do?"

Chuckling even more, Alastor once again nodded, putting his own plate to the side having already finished his food.  
"Yes Anthony, it's definitely something that 'normal' people do. And it's such fun, let me tell you. You can win prizes and buy candy, although I tend to not really care about the latter."

The more the man spoke about the event, the more excited the Italian found himself.  
"I guess I came at a good time then, huh? Sounds like a lotta fun."  
He smiled, quickly finishing up his own plate.

Taking Anthony's plate once he was finished, Alastor shifted and stood.  
"Yes, it's always a lot of fun. I always go every year, so it will be nice to be able to share that with you."  
He smiled, making his way to the door to put the plates back downstairs again.

Anthony stood as well, stretching his arms out.  
"Well, I guess I should get back t' the hotel. I don't wanna get us in trouble or nothin'."  
He said as he followed the man.  
"Y' don't think we raised any suspicion with me bein' here for so long, do ya? Your mom coulda gotten curious if she knew I was here and didn't hear a peep outta either of us..."  
He was starting to worry about this little mishap, wondering if maybe it wasn't a good idea in the first place.

Once down the stairs, Alastor brought their plates into the kitchen, glancing over his shoulder back at the blonde and shaking his head.  
"It's fine Anthony, believe me. She wouldn't have seen a thing."  
He smiled, turning to face the other.  
"If she asks, I can simply say that you were napping and I was reading my book."

Anthony slowly lowered his hands to his sides, realizing he was subconsciously rubbing his hands together out of almost nervous habit, his shoulders relaxing again and smile growing slightly.  
"Alright..."  
He sighed.

Gently, Alastor placed a hand to Anthony's shoulder.  
"Nothing terrible is going to happen, my dear. You're here to relax! So please do so, and smile! Your smile is simply wonderful."  
He found himself smiling wider, rinsing off their plates and putting them back away where the dishes were kept.

Anthony's smile grew at the compliment, moving to stand behind the man and wrapped his arms around him from there, resting his cheek against his shoulder blade.  
"Thanks, Al."  
He muttered, closing his eyes for a moment.

Alastor laughed gently as he felt arms wrap around him.  
Looking over his shoulder where Anthony rested his cheek, the butcher slowly brought a hand to push back his hair, fingers running through the blonde locks, but there was something that Alastor hadn't noticed before, something that had been hidden by the blonde tresses.

"You have a scar?"  
He whispered with slight concern, wondering what could have caused it. It looked quite old, so didn't happen recently.

Anthony opened his eyes and pulled away, fixing his hair a bit.  
"I... yeah."  
He said, letting his hand cover the left side of his head, feeling the raised skin under his fingers.  
"Dad..."  
He shrugged, feeling as if a further explanation wasn't entirely necessary. He didn't mention anything aside from the broken hand in any of his letters.

Alastor sighed softly, nodding in response, immediately understanding what Anthony was saying. He recalled Molly telling him something about it a long while ago.  
"All scars have a story, you know. They're not _all_ bad."  
He hummed.

Anthony gave a bit of a nod and his smile returned. There was still a lot he needed to unpack in terms of that incident, but it was more so the need for his father to acknowledge that it even happened. He didn't expect an apology by any means, knowing he wouldn't get one.

"I should probably get goin'. Are we gunna meet somewhere in the morning?"  
He asked, letting his hand fall to his side again.

Taking a small step back, Alastor nodded.  
"Yes, we can do that if you wish. It would save time if I met you in the city, rather than having you come here."  
He stated, not wanting to waste even a second without Anthony where time could be saved.  
"Perhaps in the evening, we can meet with Rosie."

The blonde nodded and stepped closer, wrapping his arms around the taller man once again now that they were properly facing each other.  
"Hopefully I'll wake up and this wouldn't've been a dream."

Leaning into the embrace that Anthony held around him, Alastor wrapped his arms again around the Italian in turn, holding him close.  
"It won't have been. I promise. Tomorrow we may spend the whole day together, and the day after that, and the following days until you have to go home again."

Nodding again, Anthony took in Alastor's scent as much as he could before pulling away.  
"Walk me t' the stop?"  
He asked as he slowly started walking to the front door.

"Certainly, my dear."  
Alastor nodded.

Grabbing his jacket that hung up by the door as Anthony opened it, Alastor looked down for their shoes, but weirdly enough, they weren't there. In fact, they were nowhere on the porch at all where he was sure they were left.  
"Hm, perhaps Mama moved them."  
He hummed to himself, looking back inside again, searching briefly around the house.  
It wasn't until he looked in the lounge that he found both pairs of shoes sitting behind his armchair.

The Italian shut the door and looked into the lounge.  
"What're they doin' back there?"  
He asked, seeing the man pull both pairs of shoes out from their hiding place.

Frowning slightly as he brought the shoes back over, opening the door and stepping out, Alastor shook his head.  
"I haven't the slightest. If Mama _did_ move them, I'm not sure why she would have put them there. Unless..."  
A sudden thought came to mind as Alastor slipped his shoes on.  
Glancing over his shoulder with narrowed eyes, as if it had always been there, a shadow that resembled the man began to take form against the outside of the house.  
"It was you. Wasn't it, my friend."  
Alastor spoke, pointing towards said shadow.

"Who? What 'cha on about?"

The blonde asked as he looked to the man for a moment, seeing him looking towards something and decided to follow his gaze.

Anthony's head turned towards the side of the house, expecting nothing to be there so he started looking back down at his shoe before his head whipped back, seeing the shadow there with its glowing red eyes.  
"Cazzo!"  
He gasped, leaping away from the shadow being with a start.  
"Figlio di una puttana... damn thing almost gave me a heart attack-"  
He sighed, holding his chest.

Alastor didn't flinch at all, simply staring in the shadow's direction with a rather annoyed smile, eyes still narrowed.  
"What have I told you about moving things without permission?"  
He ground his teeth together in frustration, running a hand through his hair as he quickly looked back at Anthony, noticing how quite shocked he seemed.  
"Everything alright? I apologize for the scare."

Anthony huffed and brushed himself down a little before returning to tying his laces.  
"No trouble. Just ain't used t'... _that_... yet."  
He then stood after making sure his shoes were in order and started making his way off of the porch, turning to Alastor.

Looking down at himself and making sure that his shoes were all tied as well, Alastor followed the blonde off of the porch and through the small front yard before they came to the pathway.  
"Hopefully when you next come over, nothing ends up in a strange place again."  
He chuckled, the two of them beginning to walk towards the streetcar stop.

"So... that thing does this often? Y' said it's been around since just after I left, right? So it's been doin' this since then?"  
Anthony asked, looking up at the man as they walked.

Nodding, Alastor looked down a little at Anthony as they spoke.  
"As I mentioned, it can be rather mischievous at times. It sometimes moves my belongings, but doesn't usually hide them out of plain sight."  
Alastor sighed.

Anthony nodded along as they continued. He really didn't know what to say about it, having no experience with anything like this before and any questions he had, he knew couldn't be answered because Alastor had established that he knew very little as well.  
Soon enough they came to the streetcar stop, both of them stopping and waiting.

"Well Anthony, it has certainly been fun."  
Alastor smiled, giving Anthony a friendly pat on the back.

"Don't say it like that; you're makin' it sound like I'm goin' home."  
The blonde replied as he looked at the taller man, working hard to keep himself from hugging the man.

Chuckling softly Alastor ran a quick hand through his own hair.  
"Where do you wish to meet, and at what time tomorrow?"  
He asked, reminding Anthony of the fact that this wasn't the last time they were going to meet, it was still only his first day here.

"Hotel lobby?"  
Anthony shrugged, not sure of anywhere else.  
"If I'm up b'fore y' get there, I'll wait there and if y' get there b'fore I'm down, just tell the desk t' call my room. Deal?"

"Why, that sounds like berries, Anthony!"  
Alastor nodded with a grin, spotting the streetcar in the near distance coming towards them.  
"And look, it seems we got here just in time."

Anthony looked at Alastor after spotting the streetcar, the inner corners of his brows turning upwards a little.  
"Guess I'll see ya in the mornin' then."  
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck a little; again, having to keep himself from publicly displaying any affection.

Alastor smiled, taking a small step back as the streetcar came to a stop in front of them, there not looking to be too many people on board due to the time.  
"Yes, I shall see you then. Good night Anthony."  
He smiled, giving the other a slight wave.

Anthony gave a nod and put his hands in his pockets as he stepped onto the transportation, taking a seat.

The ride back wasn't eventful by any means, nor was the rest of the night. Anthony laid in bed, simply resting since he'd had a fair amount of sleep earlier, his mind wandering in many directions regarding Alastor along with the events of the day.

When morning rolled around, Anthony found himself laying on his stomach with his arms tightly around his pillow, looking towards the window as the sun started to rise and shine through the sheer curtains. He didn't bother closing the thicker set before crawling into bed.

After a few more minutes, the Italian decided it was time to get up. Bathing and getting dressed, he made sure he had everything he figured he would need when the phone in his room began to ring.

Walking over and picking up the receiver, he had a feeling it would be Alastor there for him.  
"Ciao, Anthony."

"Yes, Mr. Ragnatela, I have an Alastor Levesque here for you, sir."  
Suspicion confirmed.

"Was just about t' head down. Thanks, fella."  
Anthony nodded, setting the receiver back down and left his room, locking the door behind him.

"He is on his way down."  
The man at the desk nodded to Alastor with a polite smile.  
"If you'd like to have a seat, he shouldn't be long."  
  
  


That night Alastor didn't sleep very much at all. Without Anthony by his side, where he had earlier that evening, he simply couldn't drift off; but it was no matter, he had gotten plenty of rest as it was.

Bright and early was Alastor up and getting ready for the morning and full day he planned to spend with Anthony. His mother had likely left very early that morning for her shift, so Alastor ate breakfast alone.

Just under an hour later and Alastor had made it to the lobby of the St Charles Hotel, his smile wide as he requested at the desk that Anthony be phoned to let him know that he was here.

"Thank you very much."  
Alastor nodded as he was asked to take a seat, the tall man doing just that in one of the chairs just off to the side while he waited for the Italian to be down.

Anthony wasn't more than a minute in leaving his room and making it down to the lobby. It was all rather quiet that morning so it wasn't hard to spot Alastor once he made it down.  
Walking over, the blonde put his hands in his pockets with a bit of a hum and a smile, nodding to the clerk at the desk as thanks in regards to the call.

As soon as Alastor spotted Anthony walking into the lobby, he stood from his chair with a smile.  
"Why Anthony, good morning to you!"  
He laughed, giving the blonde a once over as he greeted him.

Anthony nodded in the man's direction.  
"And t' you, good sir."  
He replied grinning from ear to ear.  
"What's the schedule like t'day?"  
He proceeded to ask as he stopped in front of the brunette, making sure to keep a safe and respectable distance.

Alastor hummed for a few brief moments, thinking about what the plans were for that day.  
"I'm going to presume you haven't eaten this morning, so I suppose first of all we could get some breakfast and then discuss the rest of the plans over the food?"  
He suggested, beginning to walk now towards the front door of the lobby.

The blonde gave a quick nod as he followed at Alastor's side.  
"Sounds fine 'n dandy, Smiles."  
He replied as he grabbed the door, letting Alastor out first.  
"Gunna have t' get some more of those things y' got me yesterday too. What were those called again?"

"Ah, so you're addicted already, are you? I apologize for any future consequences."  
Alastor chuckled as they stepped out onto the street, the temperature still being warm, but not quite as humid as the day before thankfully.  
"They're called beignets. Wonderful things if you don't mind sugar. Sickly after a while if you do."

"Future consequences? What's that supposed t' mean?"  
The Italian asked with a tilt of his head as he removed his hands from his pockets and started rolling up his sleeves. The heat was definitely something he was going to struggle with during this trip.  
"I mean, sure they're a bit on the sweeter side, but I didn't mind it."

"Consequences such as craving the treats."  
Alastor clarified with a grin, watching as Anthony rolled his sleeves up as they walked. The streets were much busier than the day previously, the heat not being as intense. While it still wasn't as busy as what it had been the last time Anthony had been here during carnival season, the pathways were still slightly crowded.

"Oh, I gotta get a dress for my sister while I'm here. If I forget and go home empty-handed, she might just wring my neck."  
Anthony said as he saw a shop with dresses in the windows, thus reminding him.  
He then glanced around with a small hum, taking note of anything else he'd want to stop and see during his visit.

Glancing over to the dress shop that Anthony pointed out, Alastor nodded.  
"I do believe it will take the shop a few days to make any dresses, so you'll have to order one at least a few days before you leave."  
He smiled, not knowing too much about the dresses in the stores given that his mother usually made her own clothes, only occasionally buying things for herself.

"Gotcha."  
The blonde nodded and looked up at the man again.  
"Anyways. Where're we goin'? Y' mentioned breakfast."  
It seemed that Anthony's mind was a little scattered this morning, jumping from subject to subject. It could have been chalked up to be his excitement in being back in New Orleans or perhaps the sudden schedule change, maybe even the fact that his father wasn't around, so he had the freedom to do as he pleased.

"Ah yes, breakfast! There is a wonderful place just around here somewhere."  
Alastor replied. Despite having had something light to eat back at home, that didn't mean he wasn't hungry for a proper breakfast that morning.  
"I know I took you somewhere for breakfast the last time you were here, I do believe."

Anthony nodded.  
"Y' did and it was outstandingly good. Every place here seems t' be the greatest."  
He smiled, looking back at the times they had shared over a meal at a few of the restaurants within the city.  
"Gunna take me t' the same place or is there a new one y' got in mind?"

Shaking his head, Alastor pointed in the direction they were headed.  
"Not this time, my friend. This place is another fine establishment to dine in, especially for breakfast! I don't come here often, but I know that Rosie does."

Anthony assumed that meant it was a good place. From what he remembered of the woman, she looked to have a very refined taste; granted, there wasn't much he could recall of Rosie nor any conversations they might have had, but just the hat alone that he remembered, that seemed to be enough.

"Sounds mighty fine, Smiles."  
The blonde replied with a grin.

It wasn't much further to the small dine-in restaurant that had, despite the heat, blooming flowers running across the top balcony of the building, the glass doors wide open, the delicious smell of breakfast filling the air as they approached.  
"Hm, why that smells divine."  
Alastor murmured, letting Anthony walk in first, the taller man following in behind him.

Entering the establishment with a hum, Anthony smiled and embraced the delicious smells that attacked his senses. The establishment itself looked to be one of the finer ones that maybe even his own father would visit from time to time.

"Gee whiz, this is one helluva place, Al."  
Anthony spoke in a bit of a hushed voice.

"It's nothing too fancy."  
The butcher shrugged a little, looking around the area as he spotted a server walking up to them, Alastor putting on a wide smile.

The server gave the two of them a once over, asking them if they were waiting for anyone else, met with a no from both men, before showing them both to a table in the establishment, one right by the window.

Anthony thanked the waitress before taking his seat. For once it didn't cross his mind that this may have looked somewhat odd, two men having an early breakfast together and more or less casually dressed.  
Anthony decided to request a coffee as the menus were set down in front of them, making sure to keep his eyes off of Alastor as much as possible.  
As for Alastor, he simply asked for water, looking across at Anthony and offering him a fond yet very brief smile once the waiter had walked away.

"Is there anything, in particular, you want to do after this?"  
Alastor asked, taking a long breath as he suddenly felt the hairs on the back of his neck sticking up, a cool chill wracking his body as his shadow brushed passed him, barely visible. With an eye roll and a small shake of his head, Alastor quietly followed it with his eyes, watching as it slunk around the room, looking to cause mischief no doubt.

Anthony raised a brow as Alastor's attention moved elsewhere, but kept his focus on the question presented to him.  
"Nothin' really jumps out at me off the top of my head. Maybe we could head t' your spot on the bayou?"  
He then leaned forward after making sure no one was within earshot.  
"And maybe later t'night after we see your friend, we could go look for a half-decent gin joint? I brought my own stuff but it might be interestin' t' see how things down here differ from back home, y' know?"

Alastor raised his chin a little as he listened to Anthony, a pleased and somewhat smug smile settling upon his face at the possibility of the two of them finding an underground bar around.  
"Why, I think that's an excellent idea. I'm sure if you speak to the right people, they can point you in the direction of something like that."  
He chuckled, keeping his voice low as well.  
"But yes, seeing Rosie will be delightful. I'm sure she will be intrigued to meet you too!"

"Ha, we'll see how different I am in person in comparison t' what y' told her."  
Anthony chuckled, opening his menu.  
"So ah, what _have_ y' told her, exactly?"  
He asked, curious now that he put more thought into it. Alastor mentioned that she knew a lot, but he wasn't sure what that implied.

Sitting back a little and taking another break, Alastor nodded slowly.  
"I have told her most things. She knows about you, and to be quite frank she seemed to want to have the answers about you and your 'job' the last time you were here, more than I did."  
He continued, eyes darting across the room, brows furrowing as he spotted his shadow looming over a young waitress, it's mouth chittering away in silent laughter.

Anthony was too busy looking over his menu to really notice anything that was happening around them.  
"She seems t' be... ahem, in the loop. Guess we're lucky my family ain't anywhere near here."  
He muttered, glancing up at Alastor for a moment, noticing his attention was elsewhere.  
Following his gaze, the blonde looked to the waitress that was walking to another table, Alastor's shadow just slinking out of sight before Anthony could see it.  
"Somethin' interestin' over there, Smiles?"

"Yes..."  
Alastor muttered with a frown, seeming to be watching the waitress intently to see what was to happen.

Without any warning whatsoever, disaster struck, the waitress at the other table dropping an entire tray of food straight onto the floor as she tripped up on what looked to be nothing.  
Alastor didn't flinch at the loud crash, hardly amused, everyone in the establishment's attention on the tray of food on the floor and the waitress who was apologizing profusely to her table.

"Oh please. Your humor is childish by all means."  
Alastor rolled his eyes again, the shadow moving back over towards Alastor, brushing past the man across from him, still silently chittering away.

Anthony, however, _did_ flinch and look to the commotion, looking to Alastor again as he spoke, about to ask what he was talking about before the chill hit him, almost like a thousand tiny icy spiders crawling from his spine all the way down, almost sending him shriveling out of his chair and onto the floor.  
"Oh, holy-!"  
He shivered. This shadow was going to cause him some issues over the next few weeks, proving difficult to really understand and be prepared for whenever it happened to show up.

Sitting himself up properly again, he narrowed his eyes at his partner across from him.  
"Y' really have no control over it? C'mon."  
The blonde sighed as he adjusted his shirt.

Alastor too sighed, sensing the clear discomfort from the other as the shadow passed.  
"As I said, I've tried to find out more; and commanding an entity that plays by its own rules is quite the impossible challenge."  
He explained once more, looking over to the commotion and seeing it all being cleaned up now.

Anthony sighed and pulled a cigarette from his case before setting it in the middle of the table so Alastor could help himself to one if he wanted. Putting the cigarette between his lips, the Italian pulled his lighter from his pocket next and went to light it, but for the three times he tried, the flame was blown out by, presumably, the shadow.

"Smettila?!"  
He whisper-yelled to keep the focus off of their table, finally able to light his cigarette.  
"Sei fortunato che non mi son portato la pistola..."  
He muttered as he took the first drag.

"It seems that ground rules will have to be attempted once more."  
Alastor firmly replied, taking a cigarette and using Anthony's lighter to light it up, lighting it on the first try.  
"I apologize on its behalf."  
He murmured, catching the eye of another from across the room, the woman finally coming up to them ready to take their order. In light of all the commotion, it seemed that Alastor hadn't even looked at the menu yet, but it was fine. Whatever Anthony ordered, Alastor would too.

Anthony sighed and took one more look at the menu before closing it.

The waitress set the glass of water down in front of Alastor and the cup of coffee in front of Anthony, placing the containers of sugar and cream beside him.  
"S'cuse the ruckus this mornin', gentlemen. What can I get fer y'all?"  
The woman asked, a heavy southern accent lacing her words.

"No trouble, ma'am."  
Anthony nodded.  
"The full platter for myself, thanks."

"How'd y' like them eggs done?"  
The waitress asked.

"Sunny-side up."  
The Italian replied.

"Bacon, sausage, 'r both?"

"Both."

"And the toast?"

"Rye, please and thanks."  
Anthony nodded with a polite smile.

The waitress nodded and took the order down before looking to Alastor.  
"An' yerself?"

Alastor looked to Anthony as he ordered his breakfast, very nearly being distracted by Anthony as a whole that he almost didn't hear the waitress asking him for his own order.  
"Oh, yes. Just the same, thank you."  
He nodded, picking up both his and Anthony's menus and handing them over.

"All the same?"  
She asked to clarify as she took the menus back.

At the clarification from the waitress, Alastor just nodded, waiting until she had left their table before he glanced back over at Anthony.

"Well, awright then. Shouldn't be too long. Don't be shy if y'all need somethin'."  
She smiled as she left them to their beverages.

Anthony started putting the cream and sugar into his coffee as he glanced over to Alastor.  
"Don't think I didn't see ya makin' eyes at me."  
He muttered with a sly smirk, stirring before taking a sip of his hot drink.

A small chuckle left Alastor's lips at the Italian's words.  
"Well, perhaps I wanted you to see. You can't blame me, either way."  
He replied with just as much smugness, leaning back in his chair and sipping at his water.

Anthony rolled his eyes as he took one more sip of his coffee before setting it back down on the table.  
"If ya get caught, that's all on your shoulders."  
He said.  
"'Course I ain't complaining."  
Truth be told, he liked the attention. He'd never gotten anything like it before.

Still chuckling as he took a drag of his cigarette, putting his water down, Alastor could only smile.  
"Well good then, and I won't get caught... Anthony dearest."  
Whispering that last part quietly, leaning in briefly, Alastor then sat back again, looking around the room.

Flicking the ashes into the ashtray in the center of the table, Anthony took a deep breath, hoping his cheeks wouldn't flare up too much.  
"So ah... y' said there's a carnival startin' up next week? How long's that run for?"  
He asked, deciding to distract himself with more conversation.

"Ah yes, the summer carnival."  
Alastor nodded.  
"It usually runs for a few days or so and is always exceptionally busy."  
He smiled, remembering every year that he'd been.  
"You'll like it, I'm quite sure. It's always fun."

"What happens there?"  
He proceeded to ask, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table as he took another drag.  
"What makes it so popular?"

"Well, I suppose it's just fun really, that's what keeps its popularity. There are lots of different stands and carts to look at, and as I mentioned, carousel rides and all sorts. Why the entertainment is endless!"  
Alastor smiled, understanding that Anthony probably didn't know what he was talking about, but soon he would. The carnival was going to be great, no doubt.  
"You can even get your picture taken there too."

Anthony's brow raised.  
"Huh, I thought pictures were only for formal events and things like that. Sounds kinda fun though."  
He smiled a little, inhaling another breath of smoke.  
"Can't wait t' see what it's like."  
He said with a small sigh, his eyes moving to look out the window and up at the bright blue morning sky.

"Oh not at all, Anthony. I'm sure you'll love it all."  
Alastor smiled, watching Anthony's gaze and following it towards the window.

It wasn't long before the waitress that had taken their orders was returning to their table, two plates of food in her hand; and luckily this time, no accidents happened regarding any mischievous shadows.  
As they ate, they made light conversation about the carnival and everything else it involved, Anthony finding himself more and more interested and anxious to go; also talking about some of the other things they would be able to do in general.

Of course, the more coffee Anthony drank, the more awake he became and the breakfast itself had been a delight.  
"I can see why Rosie would come here. It's a real nice spot."  
He hummed as he finished off his plate.

Alastor found himself to be quite hungry the moment he started eating, finishing everything on his plate around the same time that Anthony did, sitting back in his seat with a smile.  
"Oh yes, Rosie comes here quite frequently these days. She lives alone now, so instead of making just herself breakfast, she comes here in the mornings."  
Alastor explained, finishing up his water too.

"Oh yeah, y' mentioned that in a letter at some point. Daughter got married or somethin'?"  
Anthony asked, finishing off his coffee.

"Yes, it was quite the miracle, but Rosie managed to find her daughter someone."  
He nodded, looking over to the waitress as she came over, clearing their table.

"Can I get y'all anythin' else?"  
The woman asked with a smile, putting their plates on a tray.

Anthony sat up properly and shook his head.  
"Oh no, I'm fine. Just the bill. Unless you want somethin'?"  
He asked as he looked to Alastor, starting to look for his wallet.

"No, thank you. I'm alright."  
Alastor spoke, grabbing his wallet from his pocket just as Anthony did, knowing that this was going to be happening yet again. Of course.

Anthony's eyes narrowed as the waitress took her leave to retrieve their bill as per request.  
"Put it away, Smiles. I'll break your fingers."  
He said firmly.

Alastor's eyes narrowed as well, his grip on his wallet tightening.  
"Will you now?"  
He tried, remembering how the day before, this exact scenario had played out.  
"And I understand that you won't be settling for halves this time either, as you said yesterday. Neither will I."

"Don't make this harder than it's gotta be. Lemme pay this, _then_ we can scrap outside over it."  
The blonde smirked, opening his wallet.

"Yes, as lovely as that sounds, I don't think that's going to be happening, I'm afraid."  
Alastor continued, opening his wallet as well.  
"You can pay next time, by all means."

"I ain't messin' around, Alastor. Put it away."  
Anthony warned, seeing the waitress returning from the corner of his eye.  
"Put anything down and I'll put ya on the ground b'fore ya can even blink."

As was established, Alastor hated nothing more than losing. However, in this situation, causing a scene was not going to be clever, and Anthony being Anthony, Alastor had a feeling he wasn't going to hold back.  
"You pay this time, and next time I pay the entire thing like the gentleman I am. Deal?"

Anthony smirked and gave a nod.  
"Deal."  
He replied, relaxing a little as the small book was placed in the middle of the table. He wasn't planning on holding to that word, insistent on paying for every meal, but Alastor didn't need to know that.  
The Italian picked up the bill, took one quick look, and placed the required amount plus a tip inside before closing it again.  
"Alright, let's get a move on."

Alastor watched as Anthony paid the bill, giving the waitress a nod of thanks before the both of them stood.  
"Right then, up the bayou. There should be a streetcar arriving soon."  
Alastor spoke as they stepped out of the establishment back out into the warmth of the morning.

Anthony checked his watch before looking around.  
"Anything we need t' bring along this time?"  
He asked as they started walking towards the stop.

Alastor had to think about that. He had thought about trying to set some ground rules with this shadowed entity of his, especially after what had just happened at the breakfast restaurant, however, he figured he would need a certain book of his to do so; but, if they were traveling in the direction of his home in the first place, then there were no worries.  
"Yes, I think I might grab something from my home on the way up, but we don't have to worry about that now."

Anthony nodded as he pulled his cigarette case from his pocket and put one between his lips before lighting it.  
"Your mom's workin', right? When's that shift over?"  
He asked out of curiosity.

Glancing up in thought briefly, Alastor then nodded.  
"Yes, she went to work early this morning, I haven't seen her since yesterday. I do believe she will be home later this afternoon."  
Alastor explained, checking his own pocket watch before putting it away again.  
"She'll be quite tired though, no doubt. So if you wish to see her, it might have to wait."

"Oh, no, I was just wonderin'."  
Anthony replied with a shake of his head.

The streetcar was along within ten minutes of them waiting and the ride was as it always was, nothing extraordinary about it.  
Getting to the house, Anthony took his shoes off just outside of the door and made sure to take note of where he'd left them so that there hopefully wouldn't be any odd placing this time around.

Alastor too took note of where he placed his shoes, looking around for his shadow as he did so, but there seemed to be no sign of it presently.  
"I'm just grabbing a book, Anthony. You're welcome to get a drink if you wish."  
Alastor called as he started up the stairs, once at the top of the hallway, going into his room.

Anthony nodded and made his way into the kitchen, grabbing a glass from the cupboard and got himself some water while he waited. He knew it wouldn't take Alastor long to grab what he needed.

Alastor knew what book to get, and thankfully it was in its usual place. Pulling the book from the shelf, giving it a once over, it wasn't long before he was at the bottom of the stairs again, moving through the house into the kitchen, spotting the blonde.  
"Alright, I think that's everything. I'm ready when you are."  
He smiled.

Anthony looked to the man and returned the smile, finishing his drink, and washed his glass quickly.  
"Y' know, there's next t' no risk of us gettin' caught here unless your mom comes home early or somethin'."  
He stated with a bit of a hum.

Alastor raised a brow at that, slowly nodding.  
"Yes, I know. This neighborhood is quite quiet, and people keep to themselves generally, so no one would be looking in at us either."  
He continued.  
"Why do you say that?"

Anthony dried his hands before walking over to the man and wrapped his arms around his neck, tilting his head slightly.  
"Hmm, it means that we can take our sweet time without interruptions. While your mom's out, 'course."  
He shrugged, eyes flicking down to the man's lips for a moment.

Alastor took in a long breath as Anthony wrapped his arms around his neck, the taller man raising his chin a little, letting his hands find their way to Anthony's hips.  
"You're quite right... we have as long as we wish."  
He grinned a little, watching Anthony's gaze.

Anthony smirked and leaned in closer, ever so slightly.  
"So, there's no rush for us t' be goin' out just yet."  
He said, his voice getting softer, his eyes lidding slightly.

Alastor naturally found himself leaning in too, unable to resist what Anthony was offering. He let his eyes close, the blonde's soft voice absolutely drawing him in, their lips meeting for a kiss as sweet as any other, the butcher holding the Italian close.

Anthony let a small smile pull at his lips as they met another pair, his body shifting forward as his weight shifted onto the balls of his feet. One of his hands found their way to the book that was nestled in Alastor's arm and set it aside on the chesterfield, all without breaking the kiss.

Alastor allowed the book to be taken from his arm, and with it gone, it allowed him to move closer, feeling Anthony smile against his lips as they kissed. Compared to their first kisses when they'd met, this definitely took the cake. It wasn't sloppy anymore, it was controlled and confident, the both of them putting in as much as the other.  
Raising a hand from Anthony's hip, Alastor brought it to his chin, gently lifting it with his index and middle finger, head tilting.

Willingly lifting his chin and tilting his head slightly in the opposite direction, Anthony let a small chuckle escape his throat. One of his hands found their way up and into Alastor's hair, tangling within his locks, letting out another small laugh as he pulled away.  
"You're gunna look like a hobo if it gets any longer."

Alastor couldn't help but chuckle at Anthony's whispered words, the man leaning back a little with a grin, laughing softly.  
"Oh Anthony darling, you flatter me so much. It's a good thing I don't have a beard, hm?"  
He continued to laugh, slowly moving his hand from Anthony's chin to his cheek, gently cupping it.

Anthony cracked his eyes open and raised a brow.  
"That would be somethin' to see."  
He laughed, leaning in again and quickly pecking the man's lips.  
"I dunno if a beard would suit ya though, and it ain't somethin' we should try. It'd tackle and I'd laugh every time your face touched me."

"Yes, I definitely won't be getting a beard any time soon."  
Alastor nodded, tilting his head and leaning back in again- after all, Anthony had said they could take their sweet time, and he certainly was going to do just that.

Anthony laughed softly as their lips collided once again, embracing these sweet moments while he could. He knew they wouldn't last long, but damn it, he was going to keep these moments safe in his mind for him to look back on and cherish when they were apart again.

This time it was Alastor's turn for his hand to move up and run through Anthony's hair as they kissed, trying his hardest to savor this too, not wanting to give up this moment for the world.  
"You're beautiful..."  
He eventually whispered, millimeters away from the Italian's lips as he pulled back briefly for air, eyes still closed.

Anthony was unable to hold in a breathy laugh as he felt nothing but joy bubble up from the pit of his gut.  
"Alright, I'm beautiful... and you're stunning."  
He paused, pecking Alastor's lips.  
"Breathtaking."  
Another peck.  
"Handsome."  
And another.  
"Gorgeous."  
He replied, eyes now opening slowly to see the man in front of him.  
"Want me t' keep the list goin'?"

Alastor felt his smile consistently growing with every compliment, his own eyes meeting the deep greens of Anthony's as he opened them.  
"No, you'll use up all the good ones."  
He quietly chuckled in response, this time being the one to give Anthony a peck on the lips, a string of compliments not far behind.  
"Exquisite, my dear. And intelligent. Irresistibly beautiful, of course. And your smile is beyond compare."  
Smirking, Alastor placed one more kiss to Anthony's lips, letting it linger for a few moments.  
"Would you like _me_ to keep the list going?"

A sweet giggle left the blonde's lips.  
"If ya wanna have a Tony puddle are your feet, you can go right ahead."  
He replied, his hand leaving Alastor's hair and moving to rest on his shoulder.  
"Y' make me melt like gelato, Smiles, I swear."  
He whispered, bringing their lips together yet again.

"Hm, maybe not then."  
He chuckled with a smile against Anthony's lips, pulling away and letting his forehead rest against the other's.  
"I love you."  
Alastor slowly spoke with a sigh.

Anthony's smile couldn't get any bigger, his hands finding their way to Alastor's cheeks.  
"I love you too."  
He replied as an overwhelming sense of happiness washed over him, blocking out any negative thoughts that tried to pull him away.

Alastor simply took a minute to admire Anthony, looking deep into green eyes, smirking a little as he studied the now clearly recognizable birthmark Anthony had in one of his eyes, that in itself bringing back memories of their first kiss, even if it was quite the disaster.  
"Stunning..."

Anthony returned the fond gaze.  
"Perfect..."  
Was all he replied with.

A few minutes passed, Alastor eventually pulling Anthony into an embrace and simply holding him for a while. However, he eventually spoke up, glancing to the side towards the window.  
"I know we said we had all the time we wanted, but we should probably get going."  
Alastor spoke softly, Anthony's chin resting upon his shoulder.

The blonde had to hold back a pout, not wanting to move on just yet but knew that Alastor had a point. Anthony didn't know when Amélie would be home, but it could be assumed it would be soon, so with a nod, Anthony slowly let the man go and took a small step back.  
"Right."  
He then picked up Alastor's book and handed it to him so he wouldn't forget it.

Alastor gave a nod as well as the book was handed back to him, quietly thanking Anthony as he made his way out of the kitchen and towards the front door.  
"When we're up the river, you can have as much time as you wish with me. No one will see us there."  
He smiled, opening the door and stepping out to slip his shoes on.

Anthony smiled and gave a nod as he joined the man outside, putting his own shoes on as well and tied the laces, thankful that they hadn't been put in a strange spot this time.  
"Do ya happen t' need any new plants drawn? I'd be happy t' do that again... for a price."  
He said with a smirk, standing up again now that his laces were in order.

"Oh yes? And what will your payment be?"  
Alastor asked, acknowledging Anthony's smirk, closing the door behind them once they were both out and ready to go.  
"There are perhaps a few plants that I would like illustrations done of, yes."

Anthony straightened his shirt.  
"A kiss for each sketch, an extra kiss for goin' over it with ink, and anythin' else you're willin' t' give if you're feelin' generous."  
He smiled, making sure to keep his voice hushed now that they were outside

Alastor did chuckle at that, playfully nudging Anthony in the side as they began to walk.  
"Alright then. You have yourself a deal. And you never know, perhaps I am feeling generous today."


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Because we have translators and Google translate sucks, we're putting the translations in. Hopefully this helps with the understanding of situations and gives a little more insight as to what's being said.~  
> Birthday in the server too!  
> They are a patron and they were kind enough to bless the public with this chapter even though they have already read it.  
> Enjoy!

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Thursday, August 2nd, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Anthony looked at his watch, seeing that it was now early afternoon. They had been at Alastor's shed for at least two hours, the blonde drawing a few plants just for fun. He knew he didn't have to, but it was a fun little past time.

Taking a break from a sketch, his hand beginning to show signs of cramping yet again, Anthony took a deep breath and looked to Alastor with a soft smile. Words weren't needed as he simply observed the man.

For the past few hours or so, Alastor had been tending to both his herbs and plants of all sorts. Having Anthony around was certainly nice company, and he was someone to talk to while he worked. It was only in the last few minutes that Alastor had sat down beside Anthony, beginning to look through the book he'd brought with him. The book that would hopefully provide some sort of answer to his current question. Was it possible to set ground rules with this shadowed entity of his?

"I like that one."   
Alastor hummed, leaning across to look at some of the drawings Anthony had done, pointing to one of the recent ones.   
"In fact, I think that all of them are just swell."

"Grazie."  
Anthony gave a small chuckle and looked down at the few drawings he'd done before looking over at Alastor's book.  
"Didja find any answers yet?"  
He didn't know exactly what Alastor was looking for in his book, but he could only assume he was actually looking for something given the intensity of his attention to it, especially on the one certain page.

Alastor very slowly nodded, bringing his attention back to the book, raising a brow as he read over a page towards the end, a section that he hadn't otherwise paid very much attention to before.   
"Perhaps..."   
He hummed, reading over the section with intent, his hopes growing by the second.   
"I might have something, but I'll have to try it to be certain."

Anthony set his own book down and moved so he was behind Alastor, wrapping his arms around his neck and leaned over his shoulder a bit in order to get a look at the pages.  
"So is there somethin' y' gotta do as in... say some sorta prayer or somethin'?"  
He asked, curious about this sort of thing.

Anthony wasn't raised in an actively religious home, but was introduced to some Italian Catholicism while growing up; not introduced to anything outside of that.

As for Alastor's home growing up, his mother had always been religious. Both his mother and father's family had been, however, it hadn't really carried on over to Alastor as he developed his own belief for things as the years went by.

Leaning into Anthony's touch slightly, the man slowly shook his head.   
"Not, not quite."   
He replied, moving his index finger up to a paragraph in the book, tapping the page lightly.   
"But I will have to say a few things."

Anthony gave a bit of a nod and let go of the man so he could move freely if he needed to.  
"Alright."  
He then shifted to sit back where he was originally, making sure to keep still and quiet so he wouldn't be a distraction. He didn't want to cause any problems and have Alastor need to start over. Not to mention that because he didn't understand how any of this worked, he didn't want anyone to end up hurt either.

With Anthony off of him, Alastor was able to stand, book in hand.   
"I'm hoping this will work. For both of our sakes."   
He nodded, taking a few steps back and kneeling down, placing the book down on the grass again, open on the page that was required.   
"Whatever happens, please don't interrupt it. I will be fine, I promise."

Anthony slowly nodded and gave a small smile. Those words worried him but trusted that Alastor was going to keep to his word and be okay. He didn't know what to expect, so he was going to prepare for something scary and probably unexplainable.   
He was just glad to be there in case something did go wrong and Alastor ended up hurt and needed immediate attention.

Taking a breath, looking up and across at Anthony once more briefly, Alastor slowly reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his knife, setting it on the grass before placing both his palms upon each page of the book and closing his eyes.  
With nothing but the hope that this would work, he began to chant to properly summon the shadowed entity, a similar chant to the one he had spoken when starting all of this.

Anthony's brows knitted together as the knife was placed and Alastor put his hands on the pages. It was by no means a windy day, but the air seemed to change the moment he started speaking, any hint of wind ceasing and becoming eerily still and calm.   
The blonde looked around them as he noticed that all noise from frogs and birds stopped. There was nothing but Alastor's voice.  
He watched the man closely but made sure not to interrupt with either a word or any kind of movement.

From beneath his palms, the book physically began to lift from the ground, something that Anthony apparently couldn't see, Alastor being able to feel that cold chill wracking his body, a hand pressing to his shoulder.   
The book continued to rise until it was level with his torso, the man with his eyes still closed snatching the knife up from the grass.

As soon as Alastor picked up the knife, Anthony's brows knitted together and concern took over completely, but he knew there was nothing he could do. He was told not to interfere.

As Alastor held out his right hand and raised the blade with his left, Anthony shook his head, immediately covering his mouth to stop himself from saying something. He closed his eyes tightly and turned his head away once Alastor showed no signs of hesitation and brought the knife down.  
When he looked back up Alastor had plunged the blade into his palm. Anthony, with widened eyes, noticed that there was black ink-like liquid coming from the man's hand, but it wasn't quite as thick as ink... more like blood.

For Alastor, it was as if he wasn't on the same plane of existence anymore as words and symbols lighting up in a shade of red, rising into the air off of the page.

When he felt a whisper right up against the side of his face, that was when Alastor's eyes snapped open. However, the scenery was not as it should have been. Everything was dark except for a pair of horrifying red eyes and a wicked smile.

"I demand you not interfere with any business of Anthony's, nor Anthony himself."   
Alastor firmly called out into the darkness, knowing that this entity could hear him.   
"And that goes for both myself, Rosie and my mother-"   
Alastor was suddenly cut off by another quiet whisper, a few simple words, yet the unexpected impact of said words had Alastor momentarily panicking.

Anthony watched as Alastor's head tilted back, his chanting continuing and a gust of wind finally came though as the man pulled the knife from his hand again. The black liquid suddenly coming to a halt and disappearing as if it never even existed and Alastor slumped forward.

Alastor opened his eyes once more, the forest scenery appearing, Anthony in front of him.   
Looking down at his hand, there was no wound and no blood.

Anthony continued to scan Alastor as he seemed to come to, not sure if he was finished yet.

Breathing heavily, Alastor reached forwards for the book and once more slammed it shut, running a hand through his brunette tresses as he fell back against the grass, feeling sweat running down his face despite the cold chill.   
"It's done..."   
He breathed as he lay on the grass, staring up at the sky.

The second Alastor confirmed everything was finished, Anthony wasted absolutely no time in rushing over to him, sputtering fast and frantic Italian, tone clear with worry and maybe a touch of frustration.  
"Tutto a posto?! Come hai potuto?! Come hai potuto?!"   
[Everything okay?! But are you okay?! How could you?!]  
He asked as he grabbed the man's right hand, looking it over.  
"Dov'è finita la ferita?"  
[Where did the wound go?]  
Now confused but glad Alastor wasn't severely hurt, Anthony brought Alastor's hand up to his lips and kisses it all over.  
"Ma come ti è venuto in mente?"  
[What were you thinking?]  
He whispered as he continued kissing Alastor's hand as if it was going to heal his apparently nonexistent wounds.

"Anthony, my love, I'm quite alright."   
Alastor chuckled breathlessly, smiling lovingly up at Anthony as he continued to press kiss after kiss to his hand that was absolutely unharmed. Not even a scratch.   
"I appreciate your concern by all means, but I'm unharmed physically."

Anthony sighed and lowered his head to rest against the man's chest.  
"Mi hai spaventato..."  
[You scared me...]  
He muttered, kissing Alastor's chest and making his way up to his neck, jawline, and to his lips.  
"Lo stupido."  
[Stupid]

Alastor may not have been able to understand what Anthony was saying when he went off on his Italian rants, mostly of concern, but that last word he could absolutely translate.   
"Lo stupido."   
Alastor repeated with a chuckle, eyes closing as Anthony kissed all the way to his lips as gentle as ever, the kisses barely even feeling like they were being placed.

"Sì, te."  
[Yes, you.]  
Anthony replied, kissing Alastor's cheek.  
"Sei-"  
[You.]  
He poked the man's chest.  
"Tu sei lo stupido."  
[You are stupid.]  
He paused, kissing him again.  
"Ma ti amo."  
[But I love you.]

This time, as Anthony kissed his cheek, Alastor managed to sneak a peck in of his own, grinning away as if nothing even remotely supernatural had just happened.   
"Perhaps you can teach me Italian one day. I, in return, will teach you French. At least if I learned Italian, I'd know what you were saying when you mutter under your breath."   
Laughing again at that, Alastor left his head rest back against the grass, eyes closing.

Anthony hummed in thought for a moment before shrugging.  
"Alright, where do y' wanna start?"  
He asked as he shifted to lay down next to the taller man.

Rolling into his side a little so that he could still see Anthony, Alastor slowly opened his eyes again.   
"Teach me a useful sentence. One that I can use often and not forget."

Anthony smiled a little and took a breath, looking up to the sky for a moment in thought.  
"Oggi sarà un giorno bello."  
He said, looking to Alastor.  
"It means 'today will be a good day'."

Alastor smiled at that, nodding before repeating the sentence, muttering it a few times afterward in an attempt to remember it.  
"And let's hope that both today, tomorrow, and the rest of your time here will be swell."

Anthony smiled.  
"Speriamo che sia oggi, domani e il resto del nostro tempo sarà bello."  
He said before pausing.  
"Oh, I thought you were askin' me t' translate that into Italian."  
He chuckled.  
"I know it's gunna be great, 'cause it has been so far and it's only the first twenty-four hours."

Alastor found himself laughing the most when around Anthony, and whether that was down to the blonde's occasional moments, or simply his calming presence, Alastor wasn't sure.   
"There's still so much I wish to do with you."

Anthony smiled, taking Alastor's hand and squeezing lightly.  
"So, let's do it all. We got thirteen days and if it costs us sleep and food, fine. I wanna do everythin' with you."

Alastor sighed softly at the squeeze to his hand, reaching up a hand to brush some of Anthony's hair out of his face, getting another glimpse of the scar he had on his head.   
"To do it all, I would need eternity, and a world that views us not as an illness."

"Well, let's do our best t' fit it all into this visit. I promise I'll try t' make it back and we can pick up where we left off. I know we're gunna have t' keep it under wraps, but we can still try."  
The Italian sighed.

Nodding slowly, Alastor leaned across again to press one more kiss to Anthony's cheek.   
"We'll always have to be keeping it under wraps, my dear. But as you said, thirteen days. I think that's enough time to at least make a start."

Anthony looked to Alastor, shifting to lay on his side. The reality of the situation they were in saddened him to no end and it made him feel a little guilty too, selfish even, for putting them both in this bittersweet forbidden romance.

"Are you happy?"  
Anthony finally asked as he gently ran his fingers across Alastor's lips.

Alastor huffed a small laugh at that, settling on a content nod.   
"Toujours."   
He spoke with a smile.   
"Always."   
Alastor then repeated for Anthony in English as well.   
"And you?"

Anthony gave a small smile.  
"If you're happy, I'm happy."  
He replied, running his fingers through Alastor's hair gently and carefully.

"I don't believe that's entirely how it works, Anthony, but I am glad that you're happy. I understand that this is quite difficult and there are _many_ risks, but that goes for a lot of things, doesn't it?"   
Alastor grinned, leaning into Anthony's touch slightly.

The blonde smiled a little more and cupped Alastor's cheeks, bringing their foreheads together carefully. There were many things he wanted to say but didn't know where to start.

"I love you."  
He sighed, figuring that was a good place to start for now.

"And I love you too."   
Alastor replied, knowing that both himself and Anthony still had so much to say and do, but with only thirteen more days, doing what they could, would have to do.

Anthony's smile grew a little more, dimples showing through.  
"Thank you."  
He whispered, closing his eyes for a moment.

For a few more precious moments were Anthony and Alastor together on their spot in the woods up the bayou before they had to go back to reality. Once they had hopped off Alastor's row boat, they were back to standing apart from each other, making brief conversation in case anyone were to be watching.  
The streetcar ride into the French Quarter was quiet, as it usually was. Hopefully, Rosie would be home when he and Anthony went to visit. 

Half an hour later and the two man were hopping off the streetcar, Alastor leading the blonde in the direction of Rosie's home.

Anthony was slightly nervous about meeting the famed and well-thought-of Rosie. She knew more about him than he knew about her, but Alastor would be there and that was enough to keep him at ease. It was definitely an improvement to just having some of the small objects Alastor sent him within his breast pocket.

Once they arrived, Anthony brushed himself down and made sure he was presentable as Alastor knocked upon the door.

Not even a few moments later and the door opened, the well-dressed woman standing on the inside.  
"Oh, good day, Alastor. I wasn't expecting you."  
Rosie said with a smile, looking to the blonde as well.  
"I see you've brought Anthony along. What a delight."  
She added, nodding to the Italian.

Anthony gave a nervous smile, nodding his head.  
"Ma'am."  
Normally he would greet a woman with a kiss to her knuckles, but given the fact she knew about him and Alastor, it might not have been entirely necessary.

As soon as the door was opened, Alastor's smile grew, letting Anthony step into the large home before he did himself, closing the door behind him.  
"Why Rosie, it's been quite a few days, has it not. How have you been?"   
Alastor asked, looking towards Anthony briefly.   
"I thought it would be nice for Anthony to officially meet you, given how much I speak about you."

"Rosalie Fontaine, but Rosie will do."  
She smiled.  
"It's a pleasure to meet you officially, dear. Please, come in. I have many questions to ask you personally."

Anthony looked to Alastor before following Rosie further into the house and into the lounge.

"Now Rosie, let's not be too hasty, hm?"   
Alastor chuckled as they were shown into the lounge, the brunette taking a seat where he usually would. If he was being honest, it was so nice not to have to worry about Madeline being around, possibly lurking or listening in.   
"Anthony has plenty of time to answer any questions you have. He's staying here for two weeks after all."

Anthony waited until Rosie was seated before sitting as well, the woman giving a small wave of her hand.  
"Yes, I'm well aware. I'm just so eager to have a proper conversation with the man you've found yourself head over heels for rather than secondhand information."  
She grinned.

Anthony gave a small breathy chuckle and nodded, understanding why she would be so interested. He wasn't entirely sure what to say though, so he was going to wait until something was asked of him.

Alastor did roll his eyes a little at Rosie's choice of words, almost embarrassed to hear that out loud, but he couldn't exactly deny it. He had fallen quite hard for Anthony when the feelings and emotions had all been processed and sorted through.

"Well then, now is your chance to do so. I'm sure Anthony is open to most questions."   
Alastor nodded, looking across at Anthony again with a smile.

Rosie's smile grew, her attention moving over to the blonde.  
"I suppose to start off, how old were you when you knew you were attracted to men?"

Alastor wasn't at all surprised by Rosie's question, despite how intrusive it could have sounded had it come from anyone else.

"Oh, ah... I guess I always knew, just in denial 'bout it up until I came here."  
Anthony replied, glancing at Alastor as if to ask if this was a normal thing for Rosie; jumping right into things like this. She clearly wasn't shy.

Catching the look Anthony gave him, Alastor just nodded. 

"It's fine, Anthony. I'm afraid Rosie is like this most days. She means well, and while isn't like most women, that's quite a good thing."

Rosie gave a small laugh.  
"Don't feel obligated to answer all of my questions, dear."  
Of course, Rosie had her ways of reading everyone she spoke to and simply wanted to get a better understanding of both Anthony and his intentions.

Anthony gave a bit of a nod, his hand finding its way to hold onto Alastor's gently for added comfort. Rosie was quite intimidating, he'd give her that, and observant as she took note of his need to be touching Alastor.  
As he felt Anthony's hand against his own, Alastor quietly intertwined their fingers, giving the others hand a small squeeze.

"Now, I understand your life at home isn't exactly the easiest. One question I know that you can answer as being common knowledge to anyone on the street, you were given the nickname Angel and your sister was given Molly. What nicknames were your father and brother given?"

This woman really did know a lot and it raised some suspicion in Anthony's mind, but he figured it best not to dive too deep. If Alastor trusted her, he didn't see why he couldn't too.  
Nicknames were usually just knowledge to anyone on the street. Different names meant different things that depended on what scene you were found in. A nickname could have been used to protect your identity if you were meeting with an outsider during a deal.

"Ah, well, Giovanni, my brother, he's got a few names. Gunner and Smokes are the most used. My dad, Henry, his most common is Scotch or Scotty as far as I know."

Alastor found himself to be quite intrigued by what Anthony was saying, not even knowing that information himself. Ever since Anthony had said he wasn't to talk about his family business anymore, Alastor had been respectful of that and hadn't asked much, but it seemed Rosie had questions she wanted to be answered regardless.

"Isn't that code for something?"  
Rosie asked.

"Scotch means two things, but ah... it's somethin' I can't get into."  
Anthony really didn't have a problem with talking about any of this, it was just the oath holding him back.

"You shouldn't even be acknowledging the existence of the trades, so I understand."  
Rosie nodded.  
"Back to your sister. It was mentioned that she takes a liking to women, correct? What do you think is the cause of the attraction switch between the two of you?"

"I... dunno how t' answer that. Sorry."  
Anthony replied.  
"We never question it. Just sweep it under the rug and accept it for what it is."

"Yes, Rosie dear, I don't believe there is anything behind it. It is what it is."   
Alastor added, looking between the woman and Anthony, his smile still wide.   
"I will say, what are the chances of both twins being that way, but I suppose anything is possible, isn't it?"

Anthony gave a bit of a smile and nodded to Alastor before looking back at Rosie.  
"Sorry, there ain't much I can answer for ya."

"Not to worry, dear! I'm simply curious about many things."  
Rosie laughed a bit.  
"And Alastor, a question for _you_. How is your neighbor doing? I understand he's been doing well in your care."  
She winked.

This confused Anthony a bit, of course.

Alastor raised his chin slightly at the question, a small smirk settling onto his face. He had of course already informed Anthony what was happening in terms of his neighbor, and it was something he was more than happy to talk about.   
"Haha, why, he is doing just _excellent_. Shouldn't be long now, Rosie. The other neighbors are all such fools, it's almost entertaining. They don't know a _thing_."

Rosie smiled.  
"Everyone around here is, Alastor. It's just a shame it won't make it into the paper."  
She sighed almost longingly.  
"Your work deserves to be acknowledged by the public. Quite genius."  
She paused.

Alastor just nodded with a sigh. He was glad that at least Rosie and Anthony were around to appreciate his ingenious efforts.

"Given the time, will you be staying for supper?"  
She asked, suddenly changing the subject. 

"Supper? Oh, you're quite right. It is getting late. What do you say, Anthony?"   
Alastor asked, looking to his lover with a tilt of his head.

Anthony gave a small chuckle.  
"Ain't like we had any other plans. Even if we did, we'd cancel."

Rosie grinned and stood from her chair.  
"Wonderful! You're lucky I was out earlier for groceries."  
She said as she started making her way to the kitchen.

Standing from his chair in turn, Alastor followed Rosie into the kitchen, presuming that Anthony was behind him.   
"What do you want us to help with. Any preparation?"   
Alastor asked, looking around the room.

Rosie shook her head.  
"Neither of you have to do anything. The pleasant company is more than enough."  
She hummed as she started to gather some things to begin cooking.  
"Because there's only so much we can really discuss, why don't I tell you some stories about Alastor?"  
She offered, a sly smirk coming to her lips.

"Stories ya say? I love some good stories."  
Anthony chuckled, glancing at Alastor.

Alastor was about to object to doing absolutely nothing while Rosie cooked, however, paused as soon as she mentioned the stories, Alastor's smile falling into a frown.   
"Now now Rosie, I don't think Anthony needs to hear any of those. They're years old now."   
He spoke hastily before she could say anymore, the man leaning against one of the kitchen counters.   
"Hardly interesting. How about some other subject, hm? How was your day today, Rosie?"

Anthony walked up to stand beside the taller man, a smile quickly forming.  
"Ah, c'mon. They can't be that bad. I wanna hear 'em."

Rosie raised a brow at Alastor with a smug expression.  
"If you ever found yourself a wife, I'd be telling _her_ these things. There are some good ones too."  
She laughed.  
"Now then, where to begin... ah! Has Alastor told you how much he dislikes dogs?"  
She asked.

"No, never."  
Anthony replied with a shake of his head, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked at the man in question.

"Well, the most memorable incident was when he was around the age of six. Madeline, Alastor, and I were all walking down the street and this tiny dog came out of nowhere, probably escaped someone's yard, and happily and calmly trotted its way over to us."  
She began as she started filling a pot with water.

Alastor was certainly not amused in the slightest, rolling his eyes the moment Rosie began telling the story, one of her favorites about him by far. Of course she would choose to tell Anthony _that one_ first.

"Alastor has _never_ cared for dogs, simply despised them for lord only knows why, so he started to absolutely _panic_ , pulling on my dress and trying to hide behind me and as it drew closer until this boy started to run in the opposite direction once it had gotten about ten feet away from us."  
Rosie began to laugh, remembering the scene all too well, Anthony's smile growing as a result.  
"The dog thought he was playing with it, so it began chasing him, and, oh my _god_ , I have _never_ heard this boy _scream_ so loud! He found a tree and climbed it, sitting up in the branch in hysterics because this tiny mutt was barking at him from the base of the tree."  
She had to pause because her laughter was only growing, Anthony starting to laugh as well as he looked up at Alastor again, seeing the greatest displeasure displayed on his face.

"I do believe that the dog looked to be quite vicious, thank you. And you know I have never gotten along well with animals. Except if they're dead, of course, haha!"   
Alastor quipped, but, as much as he hated listening to these embarrassing stories of himself being told, seeing Anthony both smiling and laughing with those dimpled cheeks- it was nothing but joyful.

"Oh, yes yes yes yes, of _course_ , the pup was out to get you and _only_ you. My apologies. There were also those chickens, and all of those cats, the goat, the goose, the family of opossums, that one squirrel-"  
Rosie laughed as she listed all of the animals that had some sort of vendetta against Alastor.

"Y' ain't very likable, are ya."  
Anthony laughed, covering his mouth now, a habit of hiding his smile.

"Well, snakes seem to like him, and very few people will he let like him if that answers your question."  
Rosie giggled.  
"He's a very refined child. Very picky with who he allows getting close to him."  
She added.  
"You're lucky to be one of those few people, Anthony."

Rolling his eyes, smirking a little now as Rosie explained all of that, Alastor nodded. It was true. Very few people knew the true Alastor.   
"Yes, well of course Anthony is an exception to most things. I wouldn't say he is necessarily _lucky_ to be close to me. There are pros and cons, of course."

Anthony's brows furrowed as he punched Alastor's arm lightly.  
"Hey! I'm happy I'm one of the few! Only pros as far as I can see. Non dire cose negative su te stesso."  
[Don't say negative things about yourself]  
He huffed before taking Alastor's hand.  
"Ti amo, il cretino..."  
[I love you, cretin]  
He muttered.

Rosie raised a brow and chuckled lightly as she continued preparing for their meal.

Alastor smiled as Anthony took his hand. Again, he wasn't sure of the exact words Anthony was saying, but he could understand the tone just fine.   
Looking over at Rosie briefly, waiting until her back was turned for whatever reason, Alastor quickly leaned across, pressing a kiss to Anthony's cheek.

It was definitely strange, having someone else in the room while they were being affectionate towards each other, but Anthony didn't mind. It was nice to be able to normalize their relationship even a little bit.

He smiled and returned the kiss to his cheek, squeezing Alastor's hand gently before he caught sight of Rosie watching them from the corner of her eye with a smirk.   
"Ah... y' sure y' don't need any help?"  
The blonde asked, now slightly embarrassed that they had been caught. He shouldn't have been surprised though.

Looking at Anthony's cheeks, seeing them slightly tinted pink, Alastor then looked across over at Rosie, noticing her eyes on them.

"Not at all. Simply enjoy the safety of my home as much as you'd like. Just don't go breaking anything."  
The woman replied, turning back to the preparations.  
"Speaking of which, Alastor, how is your friend?"

Clearing his throat and fixing his tie as he straightened up, Alastor nodded in regards to Rosie's question.   
"Yes. I had quite a bit of trouble with the awfully mischievous thing today. But I attempted to get through to it- I can only hope that it somewhat worked."   
He explained.

Rosie nodded.  
"So you've figured out what it is then? Or did you just take a wild guess."  
She asked as she began chopping some vegetables.

Anthony decided to take advantage of this opportunity and lean into Alastor. This woman was already holding a lot of secrets and was already aware of their relationship.

"I'm still unsure. I took a guess this time, and I suppose there was a sort of outcome."   
He continued on, sighing as he lifted an arm around Anthony's shoulders, leaning a little against him.   
"I'm starting to think that only time will tell. My book is not giving me too many more answers."

"You should know that guesses aren't good enough in voodoo, Alastor. Take your time in looking for answers, don't rush into anything, and don't be foolish."  
The woman sighed, tapping him on the forehead with a wooden spoon.  
"You have a head, use it, child."

Anthony simply gave a small hint of a chuckle but saying nothing to keep himself from getting in any trouble. Rosie wasn't the kind of woman he wanted to cross.

Alastor too chuckled as the spoon tapped him on the forehead. Truth be told, he was quite distracted that evening. What with the startling events of what he'd summoned, and with the wonderful distraction of Anthony around, he would think in due time about the answers he was looking for; but, for now, all he could think about was Anthony.   
"Have no worries, Rosie. I will be careful when looking for my answers, you know I will."

Rosie rolled her eyes and continued on with what she was doing.  
It didn't take her very long to make the meal, proceeding with light conversation all throughout and telling more stories of Alastor's childhood as they ate.   
Good laughs were shared, Anthony thoroughly enjoying his time.

As the meal was coming to a close, the Italian patted Alastor on the back while chuckling.  
"Don't worry. Gio would chase me and Molly around with spiders he found. Y' ain't the only one afraid of somethin'."  
He reassured, shaking his head.  
"Both of us would scream like girls."

Laughing at that as he finished up his plate of delicious food, Alastor shook his head.   
"Now that's a sight I would certainly die to see, haha! Spiders? Honestly, Anthony. They're more scared of you, than you are of them." 

"And dogs wanna be your friend."  
Anthony replied under his breath, shaking his head.

The stories Rosie was telling may not have been Alastor's favorites by far, but the stories he got from Anthony in response were truly a blessing. Alastor couldn't stop smiling.   
"Well Rosie, this food certainly has been a delight. I think Anthony and I had plans to find a gin joint of sorts afterward... would you happen to have any recommendations?"

Rosie raised a brow as she finished her water.  
"I know of a few, yes. The closest one is here in the French Quarter, not far from St Charles hotel, actually. I haven't been there in a while but it's wonderful from what I remember."

Alastor slowly nodded at that. He had heard of one being close by but hadn't gone to it himself.  
"Hm, yes, that will do."   
He smiled, looking across at Anthony for his opinion.   
"We'll have to be discreet, but that's easy enough."

Rosie looked to Anthony as well.  
"Have you been to a speakeasy before?"

Anthony's brows raised slightly, nodding.  
"Sure have."  
Of course, he couldn't go into detail about that, but it was enough of an indication to Rosie that his family was also likely involved as rum-runners.

"So you know what to do and what to expect. Good."  
The woman smiled.  
"Now, you two can run along any time now, I've got a few things to tend to this evening."

Alastor wasn't surprised in the slightest that Anthony had been to an underground bar before. If he hadn't of been to one before, then that would have been when Alastor would have been most shocked.   
"Are you alright clearing away here? I can help you if you wish."   
Alastor asked, standing from the table.   
"If not, then I suppose Anthony and I will be on our way."

"No no, you two have limited time. You can help me with dishes at any time of the year."  
Rosie chuckled as she stood and began clearing the table.  
"Run along before I get the spoon."  
She said, bringing everything to the sink in the kitchen.

Anthony stood and looked to Alastor for a moment.  
"Thanks for havin' me and it was nice t' meet 'cha, Rosie. I hope we can share more stories again soon."  
He smiled.

"Of course, Anthony. I can see why Alastor likes you so much. You're an absolute joy."  
The woman replied with a smile of her own.

"Yes Rosie, thank you kindly for the food and for welcoming us after the unexpected visit."  
Alastor chuckled, walking out into the hallway and towards the door.   
"I suspect I shall get another chance to speak with you later on in the week. Good night."   
With that and their goodbyes said, the two men left Rosie's home and stepped back out onto the street again.

Anthony made sure to remember the word to get into the underground bar as they walked. These places were always kept secret and had a password or a small object, like a pin or a specially made card provided by the bar that you would quickly show in order to get in.   
Little conversation was made as they walked, Anthony humming a small tune as they found their way down an alley where the entrance was said to be. 

Alastor was more or less silent when they got to the door, there not being even a singular streetlight to light the alleyway they turned down.

Looking up and down both ways, Anthony lightly knocked three times. Not even three seconds later and the slat slid open, a man looking out at them.  
"Lucky Lucy."  
Anthony muttered, making sure it was loud enough and pronounced so he wouldn't be misheard.  
The slat shut again.

When the door was finally opened, Alastor let Anthony go in first, eyes squinting a little at the dim light that was in the entranceway lighting up the staircase that went down.

"Well, this certainly will be interesting."   
Alastor hummed, letting his arms rest neatly behind his back.

Anthony started making his way down the stairs, glancing back at Alastor with a smile.  
"Have y' been t' one of these b'fore?"  
He asked, putting his hands in his pockets, faint music getting louder the further down they went until they came to another door, a man standing outside, who opened the door for them.

Alastor slowly nodded as Anthony glanced back at him.   
"Not this one particular, but yes. I have been to a few before. Who hasn't?"   
He smirked a little, reaching into his pocket to pull out a cigarette as they got to the bottom of the stairs, lighting it up as they walked through the door and immediately into a large dimly lit room, smoke and unmistakable jazz music filling the air.

Anthony chuckled lightly as well, looking into the rather large room. It was quite busy but still had a pleasant atmosphere.  
Truth be told, Anthony had never actually been inside of a bar before; only delivered and unloaded the alcohol, and to actually be inside for leisure, well, it was really something else. The music was wonderful and something Anthony could really get behind.

"Well, where do we start?"  
He asked, looking up at Alastor with a big grin.

Looking around the room, briefly observing a few people, Alastor then looked back towards Anthony.   
"Well, first of all, let me buy you a drink."   
He smiled back, leading the blonde over to the bar area, taking a drag of his cigarette.

Anthony raised a brow, following Alastor with a bit of a smirk.  
"Well, ain't that sweet of ya."  
He replied over the music, looking towards the live band with a smile and then at the seated people around the room.

Taking a seat at the bar, Alastor looked back over to Anthony.   
"Anything, in particular, you would like?"   
There were already a few people at the bar being served, mainly men in rather smart attire, strong drinks and cigarettes in hand as they spoke French to each other.   
Closer towards the band area, there were more people, Alastor observed, more men but also a few well-dressed women all appreciating the upbeat music of the jazz band.

Anthony looked to Alastor again once he got a decent read on their surroundings.  
"What do you like t' get? Whatever you get, I'll have the same."  
He stated with a nod, leaning against the bar counter.

Nodding Alastor glanced over the bar, looking to see what there was.   
"I think I'll have a whiskey. A reminder of our first drinks together way back when."   
He chuckled lightly.

Anthony's smile widened, giving a nod in response, cheeks dusting pink at the fond memories.  
"Sounds like a great idea."

Alastor couldn't help the smile that lit up his face as he noticed the very faint rosiness across Anthony's cheeks.   
"A great idea indeed."   
He chuckled again, watching as a bartender finally walked over to them, Alastor ordering two whiskeys for the both of them.   
"What do you think of the music?"   
Alastor then asked, looking over to Anthony.

"I think it's great!"  
The blonde replied with his shining smile. He had heard jazz since the last time he was here but it wasn't firsthand right in front of him. It was always distant. Sometimes he wondered if it was ever just memory from his time last in New Orleans.  
"Cat's pajamas."  
He added.

Alastor personally loved the lively music that was jazz. He never really got to show Anthony the true experience of it the last time that the blonde was here, but this time? Alastor wanted to show him all of it.

"Haha, indeed!"   
Alastor smiled, looking across the bar as two glasses were slid their way. Keeping his cigarette in his other hand, with his free one Alastor picked up the glass and took a sip, eyes immediately squinting at the strength.

Anthony picked the other glass up and chuckled at Alastor's reaction.  
"Hard?"  
He asked just before taking a sip as well, his own face scrunching.  
"Oh-"  
He coughed out, nodding. That definitely answered his question.  
"Smooth."  
That, of course, was out of pure irony. With smooth liquor, one wouldn't have reacted that way.

Given the fact that Alastor worked most days and on weekends he was mostly out by himself, he hadn't had time to really even think about going to any speakeasies that were around. Of course, that didn't mean he didn't have time for that occasional drink every now and again, even if they were on the down-low.

"Perfect for a day like today."   
Alastor smiled, taking another sip.

Anthony smiled a little, taking another sip as well.  
"Should we find a place t' sit?"  
He asked, glancing around until he found an empty table near the band. Nodding towards it.  
"There's a spot over there. C'mon."  
He said, starting to make his way over.

Nodding at the idea, Alastor stood after Anthony, following him over to the table and taking a seat opposite him.   
"So."   
Alastor began as he set his glass down on the table, taking another drag of his cigarette.   
"Is there anything, in particular, you feel like doing tomorrow?"

"Was there somethin' ya had in mind?"  
The blonde asked, raising a brow.  
"Y' said there were a lotta things y' still wanted t' show me so I didn't bother plannin' anything in advance."  
He chuckled.

Alastor shrugged a little, leaning back in his seat with a sigh.   
"I don't have anything particular in mind, no. Perhaps at some point during the day you could put in an order at the dress store for your sister?"   
He suggested.   
"I'm not quite sure what my mother's hours are at the hospital tomorrow."

Anthony snapped his fingers.  
"Thanks for remindin' me. I almost forgot about that. Molly woulda killed me!"  
He laughed softly and then nodded.  
"Sounds like a good plan t' start off with. I guess we can see what happens after that."

"I'm sure we'll find something to do."   
Alastor huffed a laugh, taking another sip of his drink, the sudden change of a song from the band catching his attention as he looked over, crossing a leg. The song, as it began, was a familiar one. One that was quite popular as of late it seemed.

Anthony took note of Alastor's reaction to the song.  
"Y' know this one?"  
He asked, taking another sip.

Nodding in reply, Alastor briefly looked to Anthony.   
"Yes, it's quite a well-known one around here. Always lovely to hear it."

Anthony gave a nod and took this time to actually listen and enjoy the music, probably never going to get an opportunity like this back home. He might want to come back to this very spot just to make sure he wouldn't forget the tunes.

The song was quite a long one, but with how brilliant it sounded in the underground bar, it didn't feel like a long time in the slightest. In fact, a few more songs passed, Anthony and Alastor simply taking the time to enjoy the music together, before Alastor realized he'd finished his drink, finished cigarette now lying in the ashtray on the center of the table.

Anthony found himself looking to Alastor more often than he would admit to, enjoying watching his reactions to the music. He knew that if he were to listen to these songs in the future, he would think back to these moments and remember everything about it.  
He too had finished his drink but didn't want to say anything and pull Alastor away from his enjoyment.

A few more relaxing moments passed before Alastor slowly looked back over to Anthony with a settled smile, raising a brow as he noticed him almost staring.   
"And what might Anthony be staring at?"   
He voiced his thoughts, taking both of their glasses and standing from his seat, planning on getting more alcohol while they were here.

Anthony closed his eyes in order to force himself to stop staring, breathing a smug chuckle.  
"Qualcosa che ammiro."  
[Something I admire.]  
He replied as he opened his eyes, giving the man a quick and subtle wink so he could get an idea of what he just said.

Alastor raised a curious brow, chuckling under his breath as he wondered slightly what Anthony could have said. But it was no matter really.   
Walking away from their table to the bar, it didn't take Alastor long to order two more drinks, soon returning to their table, setting one down in front of Anthony, and one in front of himself.

Anthony gave a nod of thanks, picking the drink up before taking a sip just as the song finished and the band went to take a break.

Sighing, Anthony set his glass down again and relaxed into his seat.  
"Should we head out after this one?"  
He asked, already starting to feel the effects.

Sitting back down slowly and sipping at the drink, Alastor nodded. It was quite a strong drink, and not being a frequent drinker still, he was starting to feel a little woozy as well.   
"Yes, I think that would be wise. Where would you like to meet in the morning?"

"Same way we met up this mornin'?"  
The blonde suggested with a shrug.   
"I might end up sleepin' in though... if I ain't up when y' get there, just go up and kick me outta bed."  
He shrugged again, taking another sip.

"That works for me, haha. Despite the alcohol this evening, I'm sure I'll be up bright and early as per usual."   
He laughed, looking across the room just as the band started to make their way back in from their quick water break, setting up their instruments again.

And that meant it was time for Anthony to continue his admiring staring at his lover, sipping his drink slowly in the process as he collected these sweet moments. He didn't care if he was caught by anyone at this point.

Of course, Alastor noticed Anthony staring at him from out of the corner of his eye, however, he didn't mind of course. It was almost flattering really.   
By the time that the song was over, Alastor was finishing up the last few sips of his drink, slowly looking back over to Anthony with a slight smirk.

Anthony's small smile slowly grew as he looked to Alastor's glass. Seeing that it was empty, he finished off his own drink before nodding towards the exit.

Standing, Alastor looked to Anthony once more before he began moving towards the door, glancing back at the blonde.   
"Would you like me to walk you to the hotel?"   
He spoke as they got to the door that led to the staircase, a man opening a door for them, Alastor nodding at him.

Anthony followed close behind, doing his best not to touch Alastor because he knew that once he started, it was going to be extremely hard for him to stop.

"Yes please."  
He hummed, words slightly slurred as they started to climb back up the steps and out to the street again.   
The air was really nice that evening, not too humid by any means.

With the door to the bar closed now behind them, not a singular streetlamp around, Alastor quietly and briefly took Anthony's hand, giving it a squeeze.   
"It's nice out."   
Alastor spoke slowly as they eventually left the alleyway stepped back out onto the main street, the brunette letting go of Anthony's hand now.

Anthony squeezed Alastor's hand in return before putting both of his hands in his pockets.   
"Y' know, I say we run away."  
He stated.  
"Run to a place where it's just-"  
A pause due to a hiccup.  
"-just the two of us. Maybe my sister, your Ma, and Rosie too... but that's beside the point."  
He started rambling.  
"Because... I know they all- well, maybe not all of them accept us, but they all love us like family and _that_... is important."

Alastor chuckled slightly at Anthony's words, as bizarre and unrealistic as they were; but he had a point. Alastor knew that for the most part, they would all accept the two of them. His mother was quite difficult to say, however, Alastor did know that her love towards him was unconditional.   
"And where do you suppose we'd go?"   
He asked, the two of them crossing a road, the St Charles Hotel just in the close distance now at the end of the street.

Anthony shook his head, bringing a hand out to pat Alastor's arm.  
"I'm still workin' in that, gimme a minute."  
He replied, brows knitting together in deep concentration, a lightbulb going off in his head a few moments later.  
"Oh, I know! Our own little island with everythin' we could ever want. We'll call it... uh... shit, I'll figure that out later."

Alastor could only laugh at Anthony's words, shaking his head in amusement.   
"Why, that's quite a vulgar thing to call an island. I can't imagine anyone would want to visit with a name like that."   
He chuckled, the two of them stopping as soon as they were outside the hotel, the taller man looking to the blonde.   
"Well, I suppose this is goodbye for now then."

Anthony was about to reply but stopped as soon as he noticed Alastor stop, looking at him and then up at the building. His heart sank a little, wanting more time with him but had to remind himself that this wasn't his last day.   
"Right..."  
He said as he stood looking at the hotel, almost as if he was trying to find the motivation to go in.

Alastor luckily wasn't too tipsy, so he knew he wouldn't have a problem getting back home on the streetcar.   
He could tell that Anthony was looking quite sad maybe over the fact that they were parting for the night- but Alastor couldn't blame him when he himself felt a similar way.   
"I'll see you tomorrow, my dear."   
Whispering that last part a little quieter, Alastor had to risk the urge to pull the other in for a hug.

Anthony slowly nodded, looking at Alastor with a small smile.  
"See ya t'morrow."  
He said softly, before looking to the building again and slowly started walking towards the double doors.  
"Don't forget the plan."  
He added before going inside.

Giving Anthony a brief wave goodbye, Alastor was soon turning away, walking towards the streetcar stop that was just up ahead.   
From there, Alastor proceeded to wait for the streetcar, and when the transport came along, Alastor was stepping on.

Half an hour later and Alastor was arriving home, the house dark and quiet, his mother sound asleep.


	42. Chapter 42

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓   
Friday, August 3rd, 1923   
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

The next morning, as he and Anthony had said, Alastor woke up with the plan to meet the Italian at the hotel.   
Amélie had been awfully quiet as she served the two of them breakfast, Alastor asking her if she was to be working that morning; the answer was yes, she was going into the hospital at around noon and wouldn't be coming home until late in the evening.

It wasn't long before Alastor was arriving at the hotel after the journey into the French Quarter, and was asking at the desk in the lobby if they could call Anthony's room to let him know that he had arrived. They called twice, but both times there was no answer, resulting in the woman at the desk allowing Alastor to go up to Anthony's room himself. Perhaps he was simply in the bathroom, unable to get to the phone when it had rung.

Climbing the flight of stairs to the third floor where Anthony's room was, eventually, Alastor found himself stood outside. With a wide grin, what Alastor thought would have been him simply knocking on the door, was actually him pushing the door open as he went to knock. The door which he had thought was locked, wasn't. In fact, it was barely even closed properly.   
This, of course, made Alastor somewhat suspicious as he slowly stepped into the darkened room, taking note that the curtains were still drawn shut.

"Anthony?"   
Alastor quietly called out, closing the door behind him. But alas, there on the bed, completely sound asleep, was Anthony- mouth hanging open, one arm draped off the side of the bed as he snored tiredly and the same clothes he wore the night before askew.   
A quiet chuckle escaped Alastor's lips as he observed, taking a seat on the chair in the corner of the room after racking his hat off and set it by the door.

Truth be told, Anthony got in the night before and completely wiped out. He was in the process of changing into his pajamas when he tripped on his own two feet while trying to get his shoes off and fell onto the bed. From there, he gave up and passed out.   
He was so tired that even as Alastor entered the room and called for him, the blonde continued to snore away with drool on his cheek and pillow.

Alastor waited a few moments in the chair, crossing a leg and quietly tapping his fingers away on the table that was to the left of him. Anthony was still sound asleep, and it didn't seem like he was going to be waking up any time soon.   
"Anthony."   
Alastor called again after a few more moments, a little louder this time only to be met with a small groan in reply, Anthony shifting a little but ultimately still asleep.

Alastor raised a slight brow at the movement that came from the Italian, slowly standing from the chair he was sat in, and wandering over to the side of the bed.   
Perching on the edge of the mattress, he slowly held out a hand, running his fingers gently through Anthony's hair.   
He looked so peaceful while asleep.

A smile found its way to the corners of Anthony's mouth as his body further relaxed, emitting a content hum as his eyes slowly opened, looking to the man for a few moments before he adjusted himself so he was on his side and opened his arms to Alastor.

Alastor chuckled again as he spotted Anthony's eyes opening, the man opening his arms in a clear invitation to get closer, and who was Alastor to decline? It was just the two of them, and they didn't have any real plans this morning, or at least for the day.   
Scooting back a little further on the bed, Alastor leaned into Anthony's open arms, reaching up to continue running his fingers through his hair with a sigh.

Anthony's smile grew, wrapping his arms around the man and gently rubbed his chest in return, that safe and warm feeling coming into play once again.   
"Buon giorno cuore mio..."  
[Good morning, my heart...]   
He mumbled, closing his eyes again so he could start the process of actually waking up.   
There were no signs of a hangover this time, so that was nice.

"Buon giorno."   
[Good morning.]   
Alastor repeated in turn, letting his eyes close slightly. He hadn't had a hangover that morning either, which he was thankful for, but at the same time, he hadn't had too much to drink.

Anthony chuckled lightly and then sighed, simply enjoying these moments.   
"Mi mancato... I missed you."

Still continuously carding his fingers through Anthony's blonde tresses, Alastor pressed a small kiss to the top of his head.   
"I missed you too."

Anthony shifted and nestled his nose into Alastor's chest, taking in his scent and warmth, even though the latter wasn't something that wasn't lacking this far south.

With his free hand, Alastor wrapped it around Anthony properly as he buried his face into his chest, Alastor sighing again contently.   
"Did you sleep well?"   
He spoke slowly, eyes still closed.

Anthony nodded slowly, chuckling lightly as he tilted his head up to look at the man.   
"Woke up good too."   
He smiled, kissing Alastor's chest.

Smiling warmly, Alastor too nodded, opening one eye to look down at Anthony as he kissed over his jacket.   
"I got the lobby to phone the room, but you were asleep."   
He laughed slightly.   
"I'm presuming you were also too tired last night to change out of your clothes?"

"I... _tried_."   
Anthony laughed sheepishly, adjusting himself to show that his shirt and pants were in the process of being taken off before he fell asleep.   
"Tripped and fell onto the bed and didn't wanna get up again so I admitted defeat."

"In your defense, I suppose alcohol does make you tired once it's sunken in."   
Alastor continued to chuckle, glancing towards the window where the curtains remained closed.   
"We should probably think about going soon though, my dear."

Anthony wrapped his arms and a leg around Alastor now, huffing.   
"Maybe, but that doesn't mean I ain't gunna fight t' stay like this a while longer."   
He stated.   
"What time is it?"

Alastor didn't mind the arms and leg he found around himself, still keeping his one arm around the blonde in turn and even giving a light squeeze.   
"I do believe it is almost ten."   
He nodded, managing to reach into his pocket for his pocket watch, smiling a little at the time he had predicted correctly.   
"Yes."

Anthony sighed, burying his face in the man's chest again.   
"Just five more..."

Letting his hand now rest on the back of Anthony's head as he buried his head closer, Alastor slowly took a breath in and out.   
"Alright. Just five more."

Anthony smirked.   
"Alright. See ya in five _hours_. Night!"   
He said, nuzzling into Alastor's chest even more. Really, he was just trying to get a reaction.

Alastor paused for a second, slowly chuckling as he processed what Anthony had just said, the older man shaking his head, a wide grinning smile still on his face.   
"As much as I would love that, my dear, you said it yourself. Your sister will kill you if you don't order a dress for her."

Anthony laughed softly and pulled away, his hair even more of a disaster now that he was sitting up, looking at Alastor.   
"I'm kidding. I'm ready t' get up now."   
He said as he gave him a quick peck on the lips and started to get up out of bed.   
"Thanks for the most pleasant mornin' alarm."   
He said with a wink as he proceeded to gather a change of clothes before he headed into the bathroom.

"You're quite welcome."   
Once Anthony was in the bathroom, Alastor stayed laying down for a few moments more before finally standing, brushing himself down, and fixing his hair as best as he could.

Anthony tried not to take too long, taking a quick shower and made sure his hair and teeth were brushed. He shaved the day before so he was saved on that front. He was lucky to only need a shave every few days instead of every morning. It helped that whatever stubble he did manage to grow was always light, so you couldn't see it until it really grew in.

Alastor gave Anthony a quick once over, smiling a little once he stepped out of the bathroom.   
"Looking dapper as always."

"Dapper? I mean... alright."   
The blonde shrugged, adjusting his suspenders a little as he headed to the door.   
"Good t' go?"

Alastor nodded, standing from where he was sat at the edge of the bed, and walking over to his lover.   
"So, the dress store. Anywhere else you'd like to go?"

Anthony shook his head as he fixed his collar a bit.   
"Don't think so. Your mom workin' t'day?"   
He asked.   
"If she is, I say we go t' your place and just relax durin' that time."

Grabbing his hat that he'd taken off when he'd entered the hotel room, Alastor held it under his arm, humming for a moment.   
"Yes, she will be working from noon onwards, so that means we will be able to relax if we wish."   
He smiled, opening the door for Anthony.

"Perfect."   
The Italian replied and stepped out of the room just as a man and a woman were passing by. Probably not the smartest idea for two men to confidently step out of a hotel room first thing in the morning. He had forgotten reality existed and scolded himself for not checking first.   
"Mornin'."   
He said as they both gave a nod, to which the couple simply turned their noses up and continued on.

Anthony glanced back at Alastor, rubbing the back of his neck.   
"Whoops?"

Alastor just shrugged.   
"Hm."   
He hummed. Perhaps they should have thought about being seen coming out of the same hotel room so early in the morning together.

Anthony pulled the key from his pocket and made sure to lock the door once it was closed, tilting his head slightly at the sudden thought that came into play.   
"How uh... how'd ya get in?"   
He asked.   
"Didja climb in through the window or somethin'?"

Laughing a little at that as they began to walk to the stairwell, Alastor shook his head.   
"No no, certainly not. I went to knock, but the door was barely even closed properly. You must have been quite tired indeed."   
He laughed.

Anthony pocketed his key again and rolled his eyes at his own foolishness.   
"Son stupido."   
[I'm stupid.]   
He muttered with a small chuckle.

As they made it down to the lobby, the couple that had passed them was talking with the receptionist and once they noticed the two men, they turned and left through the main entrance. The receptionist straightened up and waited for them to come closer before speaking.   
"Gentlemen, might I have a word with you in private?"

Anthony looked to Alastor with a raised brow before nodding to the woman, walking to the desk as to keep the impending conversation discrete. He knew exactly what was coming.

Alastor took a breath, his eyes immediately narrowing as he noticed the receptionist waiting and the words that followed.   
Raising his chin slightly, he took a small step further away from Anthony.   
"Why yes, certainly. What seems to be the problem? My business partner and I have a meeting to attend in a moment."

The woman nodded.   
"Yes, I'll keep this brief and to the point then. This establishment doesn't allow any form of..."   
She cleared her throat, taking a quick glance around as if making sure no one was going to hear the topic and then brought her attention to the two men in front of her.   
"...homosexual involvement. If you happen to see or hear of anything of the sort, we request that you bring it to us immediately and we'll take care of the issue that very moment."   
She said with a nod.

Alastor was more or less silent as the woman spoke, observing her quietly as she spoke. He knew that Anthony was very much doing the same as well.

Anthony did take note of every word she was saying and made sure to read her tone very carefully. She didn't say anything about them in particular, so it was important that he didn't go right to assuming that she was accusing them right off the bat. That would have only raised more suspicion. It did bother Anthony a little though; how they were being targeted after seeing the very same couple leaving right as they made their appearance.   
"'Course. We appreciate the policies and will keep our eyes and ears open."   
He said with a nod.

"Thank you very much. Now, good luck with your meeting."   
She smiled.

"Thanks, ma'am. Gunna need it."   
Anthony replied with a wink before heading for the doors.

"You have a wonderful day."   
Alastor smiled back at the woman as they began walking away, his smile faltering into something a little less friendly once he had turned away, the two of them exiting the hotel.

There was a moment's silence after they were back out onto the street again before Alastor finally spoke up.   
"We need to be more careful."   
His voice was low, and there was no doubt about his tone that he was a little annoyed.

"People need t' mind their damn business is what's gotta happen."   
Anthony replied, taking out a cigarette and lighting it before offering Alastor one.   
"I'm just surprised someone said somethin' this time and nothin' last time."   
He stated with a small chuckle and a shake of his head. 

"Hm, yes."   
Alastor slowly nodded, leading Anthony towards the dress store, too caught up in his own head to notice the offering.   
"I suppose the last time was simply an extremely lucky few days on our part. People were too busy with Mardi Gras to bother poking their noses in other people's business; now is a different story, clearly."

Anthony waved his hand dismissively as he put his cigarettes away again.   
"I'm gunna be nice and give her the benefit of the doubt. There coulda been some action recently and seein' us just raised more suspicion. I ain't gunna let it hold us back."   
He said as he followed, grateful that the streets weren't too crowded yet so they could talk while the topic was still fresh.

The brunette nodded slightly, the two of them turning a street corner. Anthony was most probably right, but at the same time, you could never be too careful. Alastor didn't want to risk anything, _especially_ when it came to Anthony.   
"You're probably right, my dear. I will simply be more careful when I next visit you at the hotel. Or perhaps we should meet elsewhere."

Anthony looked at the man and gave him a reassuring smile.   
"We'll figure somethin' out. Doesn't have t' be right away. We got all day."   
He said before taking a drag of his cigarette.   
"Y' sure y' wanna come with me t' do this dress stuff though? Y' can wait outside if y' want."

Alastor sighed softly, appreciating the smile that Anthony flashed, his dimples showing ever so slightly.   
"I think it would be best if I stood outside. Take as long as you need. Get your sister something nice."

"I won't be too long. I know what she'd like."   
Anthony nodded, seeing the shop coming up in the near distance. There was something he had been thinking about recently that they would have to discuss later in the privacy of Alastor's home.

When they got to the store, Alastor did as he said he would and waited outside while Anthony went in, lighting up a cigarette while he waited.

The woman at the reception of the hotel certainly had caught him off guard, and that was something he didn't like. He and Anthony were trying their hardest to keep their relationship on the down-low, and if they were suspected even a little, Alastor knew it wouldn't be good.   
Meanwhile, Anthony was probably taking it too _lightly_. He wasn't taking into account the fact his father could catch wind of even the faintest of things all the way from Italy.

Anthony didn't take long at all. Fifteen to twenty minutes at most. He wanted to make sure he saw everything. He settled on a few different dresses, knowing Molly would enjoy all of them and they would look great on her too.   
Coming back out after paying, he looked to Alastor with a smile.   
"Alright. Where to next?"

Flicking his cigarette to the ground a few moments before Anthony stepped out of the dress store, Alastor looked over at the other with a smile.   
"Well, if that's everything you need, then I suppose we can pass the time back at my home if you wish."   
He shrugged, the two of them walking away from the store.

Anthony nodded eagerly.   
"Yeah, I'm all set. Let's get t' your joint b'fore it starts t' get too hot out, huh?"   
He said as he put his notebook back in his pocket.

"Why, that sounds like a plan."   
It was almost noon, so the temperature would most definitely be getting warmer soon. As for Amélie, she would be about to start her shift at the hospital, meaning that Alastor and Anthony would have the house to themselves for the majority of the day.

As they made their way to the streetcar stop, they happened to pass a bakery, the smell of baked goods and beignets especially filling the air. Anthony stopped for a moment and looked in through the window with slightly widened eyes.   
"I wanna stop in here for a quick minute. We got time, right?"

Alastor would have usually passed the bakery, had he been on his own, however, he would admit that the smell of freshly baked goods was mouth-watering, and he already had an idea as to what Anthony would be after.   
"Yes, we have time. Beignets, correct?"   
He hummed with slightly narrowed eyes, turning on his heels to face the little door of the small shop.   
"The woman in there doesn't speak much English, so I'll have to order for you."

Anthony smiled and nodded.   
"Those are the things. Just two this time will do me over."   
He said as he looked into the shop again with a wide smile.

Raising a brow with a slightly smug smile, Alastor nodded and pushed the door to the shop open, the sweet ringing of a bell above the door sounding out as he and Anthony stepped in. From there, the wondrous smell of freshly baked goods only got better.   
The owner of the bakery was a rather old woman; however, she was much adored around the area, having owned the bakery for years.   
Ordering in French, Alastor was quickly given a paper bag of a few beignets, the man handing over the needed coins before he was passing the bag over his shoulder to Anthony.

Anthony took the bag with a joyous gleam in his eyes as he looked up at Alastor again, a big smile on his face. He then looked to the woman and gave a nod.   
"Merci."   
He said before heading for the door, waiting until they were outside to look in the bag at the beautiful golden pillows. He had asked for two but got five instead.

The taller man looked down at the blonde with a smile that was equal in how wide his was, looking over Anthony's shoulder into the paper bag with the goods inside.   
"Looks like she gave you a few extra ones."   
He acknowledged with a hum, secretly having asked for a few more than what was requested.   
"How generous."

Anthony looked to Alastor, smile big and bright.   
"That's so nice of her. She didn't have to."   
He said, looking back to the bakery's door and then back to Alastor as he took a beignet out and took the first bite. Just as he remembered them to be.   
After a few moments, he held the bag towards the taller man.

Pausing a little, Alastor raised a slight brow as Anthony offered him a beignet. He really shouldn't, but they did smell good.   
"Thank you."   
He nodded, getting one of the treats out of the paper bag and taking a bite. The streetcar stop was just ahead, and with no sign of the streetcar just yet, he would have time to eat it before they got on.

Anthony hummed and checked his watch, seeing that it was just after eleven-thirty, then continued giving his beignet most of his attention.   
"God, these are good."   
He muttered.

Alastor finished his beignet relatively quickly, however unlike Anthony, one was enough for him. They were quite sweet.   
"Yes, especially when they're fresh like this. I'm sure you'd be able to come across them somewhere in New York if you looked."

Anthony raised a brow and looked to Alastor.   
"Y' think so? Well, even if I did find any, they probably wouldn't be this good."   
He replied, taking the last bite of his treat and closed the bag for now.

"I do believe my mother has a recipe for some that you could take back with you. They might not be as good as the ones from the bakery, but they're tasty regardless."   
Finishing up his beignet, Alastor brushed his hands together to get rid of any sugar that had gotten into his hands.   
It seemed the two of them finished at the perfect time, the streetcar coming into view.   
"Ah, excellent."

Anthony smiled a bit and licked his fingers clean as he started to walk towards the stop.   
"Our timin' always seems t' be perfect."   
He stated with a small chuckle, looking at the other with a bright smile, sugar still on the corners of his mouth.

"I suppose we simply seem to be lucky in that sense."   
He chuckled, a smirk rising to his face as he spotted the spots of sugar on the corners of the blonde's mouth.   
"Anthony you have- just there."   
Pointing to his own mouth, Alastor was about to wipe it off himself, however, the full streetcar of people just stopping beside them told him otherwise.

Anthony blinked a few times before realizing what it was Alastor was implying, quickly wiping his mouth clean as he climbed onto the streetcar.   
"Oh, thanks."   
He nodded before taking a seat.

Sitting on the streetcar was a bit of a squeeze, it being very busy given the time of day, but at least Anthony and Alastor were able to get a seat next to each other.   
As the journey went on, Alastor knew it would eventually get less busy anyways.

The ride was, again, as it always was. Nothing extraordinary or strange about it, Anthony simply watching out the window at the passing scenery and city streets as he enjoyed another beignet or two.   
The walk from the stop to Alastor's house wasn't anything special either, birds chirping, sun shining, and Amélie gone to work.   
They were finally safe from society's eyes.

Anthony took his shoes off and took note of where he left them before entering the home with a content sigh and a smile.

When the door closed to Alastor's home, he removed his hat and his jacket, hanging them both up before turning to Anthony and gently cupping his jaw.

Anthony's eyes widened slightly as he looked into Alastor's, curious as to what he actions he was about to take.

"You still have sugar on your mouth. Every time you smiled; it became more visible on the journey up here."   
He spoke slowly, wiping the sugar from the very corners of Anthony's lips with a thumb before he let go, casually walking away back through the home and into the kitchen.

Anthony watched as the man walked through the house and started to trail behind.   
"Not gunna kiss it off this time? That's kinda upsettin', Smiles."   
He said with a bit of a smirk.

"Disappointed, are you?"   
Alastor replied with a smirk of his own, grabbing a glass to fill it with water.   
"You are sweet enough on your own, but with sugar added? That's far too sweet."   
He chuckled, taking a sip of his water once he'd poured it.

Anthony rolled his eyes and set the bag down on the counter, still having one treat left that he was going to save for a later time, now carefully wrapping his arms around Alastor's neck.   
"You're _really_ gunna make me beg for a kiss?"   
He asked, tilting his head slightly.

Alastor wrapped his arms around Anthony's neck, mirroring his stance as he smirked, giving the blonde a shrug as his answer.   
"That depends my dear. How much do you _want_ a kiss?"   
He replied, tilting his head in the opposite direction to Anthony.

Anthony inhaled and looked up at the ceiling for a moment in thought.   
"Well..."   
He exhaled, shoulders relaxing.   
"Let's just say I'd kill for one."   
He said, looking to the man again.   
"That answer your question?"

Alastor huffed a small laugh at that, of course fully believing it.   
"I would die to see that happen in person, Anthony dearest. You don't know what that would do to me."   
Moving a hand down from behind Anthony's neck while the other set his glass down on the counter, Alastor slowly once again cupped the blonde's cheek, looking at him with much admiration.

Anthony leaned into Alastor's tender touch, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth again as he examined the man's face carefully and lovingly.   
"Please kiss me?"   
He asked softly.

Continuing to chuckle softly, Alastor graciously leaned his head down a little, capturing Anthony's lips in a slow and steady kiss just as was asked, his hands moving back up to wrap both around Anthony's neck again.

Anthony's hands found their way down to rest against Alastor's chest for a moment before moving down to his hips as he returned the kiss, eyes fluttering shut.   
A small hum escaped him just before pulling away slightly just so he could whisper.   
"Grazie..."   
Returning to the kiss immediately after.

Alastor sighed into the warmth of the kiss, their lips gently crashing against each other as calm as rippling water on a silent stream. Moments went by before Alastor pulled back to gain his breath, pulling Anthony a little closer into an embrace.   
"Mon amour."  
[My love.]

Anthony wrapped his arms around Alastor's waist and buried his nose into the nape of the man's neck, placing gentle kisses there.   
"Amore mio."   
[My love.]  
He muttered between kisses.

Alastor closed his eyes out of bliss as he felt gentle lips pressing kisses to his neck, the gesture sweet by all means.   
"Never stop smiling, mon amour. It suits you to no end."   
With that, Alastor moved one hand down from Anthony's neck to under him almost, scooping the other up into a hold against him, the man laughing at the reaction to the unexpected actions.

Anthony gasped, lips detaching from where they were on Alastor's neck, and brought his arms up to tightly wrap around his neck. He had never been picked up before nor did he think he even would be for any reason. Even when he died, he thought he would only be rolled into a hole. Never picked up.

"Wh-?!"   
The blonde's legs flailed a little as if trying to find solid ground again, but they happened to be supported from the back of his knees as if a groom were to carry his new wife, so he simply crossed his legs over each other tightly with holding tight to the man.   
"Al, what the _hell_ are you doin'?!"

Alastor could only laugh as he spun slightly with Anthony held safely in his arms, leaning down to press a tender yet brief kiss to his lips.   
"Te tenir près."  
Alastor chuckled, carrying him out of the kitchen and into the lounge.   
"Holding you close."   
He repeated in English, spinning Anthony once again.

Feeling Alastor's strong arms around him did make Anthony feel safe like this, like all other times the man held him, but that didn't stop him from holding on as if his life depended on it. He found himself letting out a few small laughs even though it was a strange situation for him to be in.

"A-Al, ya really don't have t' be carryin' me around."   
He said.   
"Not that I ain't enjoyin' myself, 'course-"

"Well, you won't catch me carrying you around anywhere else. So why not here? I'm showing my appreciation for you, my dear."   
It was more just Alastor joking around than anything, something he didn't think he did too often, but that was the thing about Anthony. He brought out the rarest sides to Alastor.   
Moving over to the couch, he carefully set Anthony down, letting go of him and taking a step back.

Anthony hesitantly let go, looking up at the man.   
"I wasn't complainin', I like bein' close to ya like that! I've just... never been carried b'fore and didn't wanna be dropped."   
His voice started trailing off, feeling a little bad for some reason. He didn't want to sound like he didn't trust Alastor when the fact of the matter was that he trusted the man with his life; as ironic as that probably was. He didn't want him to think he didn't enjoy his affections.

Anthony slowly stood again and hugged Alastor.   
"I wanna be close to you, Al. I wanna be touchin' you all the time..."

Alastor wasn't really sure what to say to that. Out of all the things, hearing Anthony say that of course made him happy, but also speechless.   
"As much as I would love that, my dear, you know that cannot be. However, behind closed doors and away from the eyes of people who do not understand, we can be ourselves."   
There was a hint of something solemn crossing his tone as he spoke the reality of their relationship, an arm wrapping around his lover.   
"But at times like this? We can do as we wish. I want to always be close to you when we can."

Of course, Anthony understood this very well. Their run-in at the hotel was only more proof that they had to hide, but he was okay with that even though it saddened him a little.   
Slowly pulling away, Anthony gazed into Alastor's eyes as he brought a hand to carefully hold his cheek.   
"I love you. Even if we gotta hide it from the world. We've made it this far and I know we can keep it goin'."   
He smiled softly.

Alastor leaned into the hand on his cheek before he slowly pulled away, leading the Italian to sit down beside him on the love seat.   
"Yes, you're quite right my dear. And if anyone does happen to find out about us- someone that we don't want? Well, I would be inclined to have to think about taking certain... actions, to put their accusations to rest."   
There was no doubt about what Alastor meant, his smug tone telling Anthony everything he needed to know in regards to his intentions. He would go to any length to keep their secret safe. For both of their sakes.

Anthony smiled and sat next to the man, leaning against him a little.   
"Y' know damn well I'd be happy t' help with that."   
He chuckled, holding Alastor's hand and entwining their fingers.   
"This is important to me, and to you."   
He spoke softly, looking down at their hands.   
"I'm gunna do everything I can t' keep us both safe, and I know you are too."

Alastor could only smile, happy that he had found someone other than Rosie who could understand his need to kill. His need to cause suffering in even the worst of ways, and still love him regardless.   
"And that, Anthony darling, is yet another reason why I feel love for you."   
He replied just as softly, leaning in and pressing a kiss to Anthony's lips once again, however, this one was a little more passionate in a way. A kiss and a moment that Alastor would treasure. Hell, every moment he spent with Anthony he knew he would chrish.


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Very spicy chapter. Skip this entirely if you're not into the sexual NSFW~

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Friday, August 3rd, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Anthony returned the kiss without having to think about it. He lived for these moments, Alastor's lips on his own; their shared love and affection in general.   
If someone had told Anthony this would come to pass when he first found out he was going to New Orleans for a hit, he wouldn't have believed it, might have laughed at it even.

As the kiss continued, the blonde couldn't stop himself from deepening it ever so slightly and going as far as nibbling Alastor's bottom lip in a bit of a playful way, a small smirk showing up as he did.

Alastor smirked a bit against Anthony's lips and deepened the kiss in return, biting back even.  
Leaning into the blonde a little, he let his other hand gently run through his soft near-golden hair as they kissed, humming softly.

Anthony huffed and let out a soft moan-like hum as he shifted to push himself against the other man, almost desperate for more but he definitely didn't want to overstep and cross any lines in case he was reading this wrong or moving too quickly.  
"Al-"  
He moaned into the other's mouth, his hands finding a resting place against Alastor's chest.

At the audible moan coming from the Italian, Alastor let out a breathy sigh as he pressed his lips deeper against Anthony's. That was a sound he hadn't heard in a while, yet absolutely welcomed by all means. Whether he and Anthony were thinking the same thing right about now, Alastor wasn't sure, but he wanted to at least let Anthony know where his mind was.

"Anthony~"   
Alastor quietly chimed in with a low chuckle, his hand ever so slowly wandering down Anthony's side, giving him enough time to pull away if he wished, before he let it carefully rest upon the blonde's thigh, seeing that he wasn't retracting.

If anything, Anthony relaxed all the more, relieved that he wasn't the only one with this on his mind.  
It had been a long time since they'd engaged in activities like this, and the blonde actually missed this feeling. Of course, he did some... research and experimenting back home, but he knew that was different from this.   
While at home, he knew he wanted to try this with Alastor at least once in their lifetime if Alastor himself was up for it.  
If neither of them enjoyed it or even just one of them disliked it, Anthony wouldn't expect it to happen again.

Slowly letting go and pulling away, Anthony opened his eyes and worked to catch his breath.  
"Might wanna lock the door and uh... g-get some oil..."  
He said quietly, his cheeks heating up.

As Anthony pulled away, Alastor too took a moment to gather his breath, his face quickly flushing slightly, lips pursing at Anthony's words. It was a good call though.   
"Perhaps, this should be moved upstairs."   
He spoke with a deep sigh, looking around the room with a nod, running a hand through his hair.

Alastor would be lying if he said he hadn't done his own reading and research into this sort of thing over the years as well. Naturally, he was curious. It was something that he was well aware of _now_ , however, he was still somewhat nervous to see how it all played out with Anthony actually there.

Anthony gave a nod and slowly stood, making sure to lean down and place a kiss to Alastor's forehead before going to the kitchen to see if he could remember where the oil was. It didn't really matter what kind it was, as long as it was cooking oil of some kind.

It didn't take him long to find some Mazola cooking oil. It was then that he realized how messy this could get if they weren't careful with this. If they used too much, they'd be slipping and sliding all over creation and god only knows the mess that would happen if they were to spill it.

Taking a deep breath, Anthony grabbed the metal canister and put it on the counter, trying to decide whether to put some in a glass or just take the whole damn thing.

While Anthony went off to the kitchen, Alastor grabbed the front door key from on top of the currently cold fireplace and made sure to lock the usually unlocked front door. Amélie wasn't due back for hours and no one else was expected over, but every precaution had to be taken; Alastor understood that.

Placing the key back in its usual place, Alastor swayed into the kitchen, leaning against the doorframe as he quietly observed Anthony.   
"Find anything?"   
He asked, his cheeks still slightly flushed.

Anthony picked up the canister and turned to show his finding.  
"I... dunno how much we're gunna need so... do I just bring the whole thing?"  
He asked, his cheeks just turning redder and the inner corners of his brows turning upwards.

Alastor huffed a small laugh, looking at the canister with a nod.   
"It will be just fine, I'm sure."   
He smiled, backing out of the kitchen, glancing over his shoulder back at Anthony with a slight wink.  
"At least, there's only one way to find out."

Anthony stood up straight and nodded, following Alastor with the oil in hand.   
"Right."  
He murmured as they made their way up the stairs, the blonde trying to keep himself from overcomplicating and overthinking the whole thing. He had _some_ experience under his belt... just not with another person. He only wanted to do this with Alastor, so it only made sense.

Once up in his own bedroom, Alastor made sure to close the door behind them as well as draw the curtains just in case. Again, he wasn't going to be taking any risks.   
"Are you alright?"   
Alastor soon asked, taking a seat on the side of his bed, looking to Anthony fondly, holding his hand out for him. Of course, he wanted to make sure that Anthony was comfortable in every possible way.

Anthony smiled and approached the bed, sitting next to the man and set the canister down on the floor for now.  
"Couldn't be better. How about you?"  
He asked, looking Alastor in the eyes; instantly finding comfort in them. It was like their first night together all over again, except more familiar, and more knowledge was had for both parties.

Alastor couldn't help but simply smile, observing Anthony's smile too and, of course, his dimples. He, as a whole, was comforting.   
"I'm feeling just swell, my dear."   
He chuckled, taking Anthony's hand in his own and giving it a light squeeze.  
"And if you're happy, and I'm happy, then that's all I could ask for."

Anthony bit the inside of his cheek and nodded.  
"So ah... do you wanna... talk about this first or just start and kinda see where we go?"  
He asked, his cheeks still rosy and he had a feeling they were going to be like this for a long while yet.

"Well..."   
Alastor hummed, observing the blonde's reddened cheeks for a moment, noting the contrast against his usually rather pale tones.   
"I think it would be wise to establish who's using that oil."   
He explained, keeping his voice calm despite what he was feeling at present.   
"I should tell you that I haven't had the experience of using any myself. The thought doesn't particularly appeal."

Anthony slowly nodded and understood what Alastor was saying.   
"Well, I guess that works out well then. I've... made sure t' be okay with either role just so I could be ready."  
He said, his smile unfaltering as he remained calm while he read the man's features, making sure there wasn't any hint of regret or any negative emotions towards this. The last thing he wanted was for Alastor to be uncomfortable.

Alastor felt his heart almost melting at that. Anthony had been preparing for this and for whatever reason, that made him feel all the more honored to be doing this with Anthony once more.

Gently leaning forwards, Alastor captured Anthony's lips in a kiss of pure appreciation, the brunette nodding softly.   
"I love you."

Anthony smiled and returned the kiss.  
"I love you too, Alastor."  
He whispered before leaning in for another longer and more passionate kiss, much like the one they shared just downstairs.  
His hands started to slowly and carefully wander Alastor's torso, running up each individual button of his shirt, much like the first time.

Alastor continued to melt into Anthony and the kiss, once again biting down softly upon the blonde's bottom lip, his eyes slowly closing as he felt hands running up the front of his shirt.   
It felt different this time, all of it. Whether it was from the lack of alcohol and a sound mind, or simply the much stronger element of trust the two of them held this time around, again, Alastor didn't know, but it was a nice feeling regardless. 

With Anthony's hands on his chest, Alastor let his own palms sit carefully upon either of the other's hips, their kiss becoming more and more passionate and deep with every second that passed, the room quickly heating up around them.

As his fingers reached the top and found Alastor's bow tie, Anthony carefully started to undo it before the garters on the man's arms, _then_ he would get to the buttons of his shirt.

It was almost like unwrapping a present, except this one was one he had gotten before and knew what to expect despite some changes that could have been made. None of that mattered now though. Anthony was more than happy to receive this gift and appreciate it no matter how many times it was presented to him. 

Carefully setting the tie on the end of the bed, Anthony began taking the garters off of Alastor's biceps and slid them down and off of his arms, placing them with the tie; all of this while keeping his lips synced with Alastor's to the best of his ability.

As Anthony removed his bowtie and sleeve garters, Alastor started on Anthony's suspenders, unclipping them at the hem of his pants and sliding them off his shoulders.   
Letting his eyes open slightly, Alastor glanced down to start on the buttons of Anthony's shirt. As he went down, unbuttoning each one carefully, more of the others pale and freckled skin was revealed, just as he remembered it to be.

At the last button, slowly Alastor slipped the white shirt off of the other's shoulders, chuckling slightly against the other's lips at the little clusters of freckles the other had upon his shoulders.

Anthony slowly pulled away from the kiss just slightly, breath labored as he spoke.  
"Perché ridi? What's so funny?"  
[Why are you laughing?]  
He asked, eyes still closed as he found the top button of Alastor's shirt, popping it loose, and then started to slowly work his way down. There really wasn't any rush to this, which meant they could take their sweet and precious time, so that's exactly what Anthony planned to do.

Trailing a finger up and over Anthony's right shoulder while the other hand moved over the old scar on his upper left arm from where he had inflicted a wound, Alastor shrugged.   
"Your freckles are admirable."   
He chuckled again, tilting his head a little and slowly kissing down from Anthony's lips to his chin, and then down his neck. Every kiss he pressed to the blonde's skin was slow, yet sweet, his lips barely brushing the surface on a few.

Anthony couldn't help but smile and close his eyes, his chin lifting to expose more of his neck for Alastor while he continued to unbutton his shirt slowly.   
The sweet kisses seemed to only fuel his desires all the more, it becoming a bit of a struggle to keep his breathing steady and evenly paced.

Once he reached the final button of Alastor's shirt, Anthony carefully pulled the fabric open and placed a hand on the man's chest, feeling the warm, sun-kissed skin against his palm and fingertips, some slightly raised from the few scars he remembered him to have.   
He couldn't see anything yet as he was being gingerly attacked with loving kisses and fully intended to savor each one.

When lips met the chiseled dip of Anthony's left collarbone, Alastor found himself smirking slightly against the other's skin. Slowly opening his mouth a little more, Alastor let his teeth graze the thin flesh, head tilting slightly as he very carefully bit down and pressed his lips on the flesh, then creating a light suction.   
Alastor remembered all too well the marks that Anthony had left upon his skin the last time, and while they had caused _some_ problems, he was going to be careful when marking Anthony. He would place them where hopefully the blonde would be able to have them covered up by his clothing.

Anthony let his a heavy and shaky breath at this sensation free, his stomach twitching slightly as a result of his needs growing. His hand slowly started to trail down from Alastor's chest and stomach, coming to the hem of his pants while the other hand sat on Alastor's knee, slowly starting to move up his thigh.  
"Si delicato... careful~"  
[Be delicate...]  
He whispered with a hint of a moan, biting his lip as he recalled the trouble they'd gotten in before over this exact thing.

The slight moan from Anthony had Alastor groaning gently against his skin, his own arousal quickly becoming apparent.   
Slowly lifting his lips from Anthony's neck with a grin, Alastor raised a mischievous brow.   
"I'm _always_ careful~"   
He replied, voice muffled as he leaned back down to press another kiss against Anthony's neck, biting down a little harder this time as he made his mark.

"Alastor!~"  
Anthony's eyes squeezed shut and his back arched as he let out another slightly louder moan. The rougher bite just started to urge him on more, wanting and _needing_ this to happen.  
The hand that was on Alastor's thigh tensed and squeezed the muscle from over the fabric covering his legs while the other moved a little further down, feeling the man's growing bulge.

It was interesting, Anthony's reaction to Alastor biting him a little harder. It seemed that the blonde perhaps had a thing for pain, and that revelation was certainly something that excited Alastor. Even the prospect of it.

Alastor had been so distracted by Anthony's moans and the way that his back contorted in a beautiful arch, that he had barely noticed the sneaking hand that had found its way closer to his groin.   
"Anthony~"   
Alastor chuckled in a breathless taunt, starting to kiss down the center of Anthony's chest now, eyes closing again as he focused on both Anthony and the hand that rested on his thigh.

Anthony relaxed again once he was released from Alastor's teeth, his eyes cracking open and moved his gaze to watch the man closely, deciding to take this opportunity to finally get the man's shirt off.   
Letting go of his thigh and moving both of his hands up to his shoulders, he slid his hands up and under the shirt and began moving it over and down his arms.  
The small scars on Alastor's upper arms were still there, naturally, but there were a few healing scratches from what he could see.  
This reminded him of the marks Anthony himself had gained over the time he was at home and the ones he had even before coming to this place. Alastor hadn't properly seen his back or legs yet and he didn't want what he had yet to see to make him worry or ruin this time.

For now, Anthony stayed quiet and simply watched the man kiss at his chest, taking it all in while he could before the moment could potentially be lost.

Pressing one final kiss to just above Anthony's navel, Alastor slowly pulled back, giving Anthony's body a once over as he helped the other get his shirt off of him.   
"Exquisite."   
Alastor sighed, observing every mark, scar, and scratch Anthony had on the parts of his body that were visible. In comparison to last time, Anthony's muscles were definitely more apparent now, his torso bigger in general, broader.

Reaching out slowly, Alastor took a moment to trace over the circular scars that Anthony had on his forearms, taking his hand gently in his grip, being as careful as anything.

Anthony smiled and watched silently, having put the shirt over with the other discarded pieces of clothing. His smile faltered ever so slightly though, feeling compelled to at least give Alastor a warning about the things he was going to see.  
"Alastor... there's somethin' I gotta warn ya about..."  
He said softly.

Alastor paused a moment, sensing the hesitation in Anthony's tone. Slowly pulling back, letting go of his arm, Alastor nodded with a fond smile, looking into those green eyes.   
"Yes, my dear? I'm all ears."   
He reassured with his curiosity piqued.

"There are things that... y' ain't seen yet, and I don't want them t' be a surprise. A really unpleasant surprise..."  
He sighed as he began, bringing a hand up to run his fingers through his hair.  
"I dunno if Molly told ya in one of her letters because I didn't tell ya, but I got stuck in the crossfires of somethin' and got nicked... I uh... well, there's a scar on my leg that I don't want 'cha gettin' worried about and there's also some on my back that happened a long time ago."  
Anthony explained.  
"I didn't wanna lose this time with ya if the 'surprise' was too much, y' know?"

Alastor had to think about that for a moment. Not Anthony's explanation per se, but the part about his back. He didn't recall ever having gotten a look at it, but that was most likely down to intoxication during their first engagements together and Anthony never having his bare back towards him.

It was almost funny to Alastor though, the fact that Anthony thought he would be bothered, but at the same time, he was glad that the blonde was comfortable enough to discuss this.   
"Anthony, mon amour. I thank you for telling me, and it's saddening that you've succumbed to such injuries that, no, Molly didn't mention. However, I understand. Regardless of your injuries and your scars though, that won't change the way I see you; and it most _certainly_ wouldn't surprise me in a bad way."

Anthony's shoulders visibly relaxed and he as a whole became less tense. He was glad and ever grateful that Alastor felt this way.   
"I love you so much."  
He smiled, arms finding their way around the man's neck as he attacked his lips with sweet kisses.

Leaning back against the bed, bringing Anthony with him, Alastor smiled, responding to the sudden plethora of kisses where he could, pecking his lover back with muffled yet soft laughter.  
"And I love you too."

Anthony smiled, starting to kiss down to Alastor's neck. He was going to be extra careful with where he marked him this time, not wanting any issues to come from it again.   
He really liked the biting, so he was curious to see if Alastor did too; so, opening his mouth once he got to the base of Alastor's neck, Anthony bit down and began to make his first mark.

Alastor hummed softly as he felt Anthony biting against his neck, the man bringing a hand up to gently run through Anthony's hair as he did so. The slight pinching yet fleeing pain from each bite was quite enjoyable, Alastor would admit. It didn't lead him to moan like Anthony, but he didn't hate it by any means.   
"Didn't know you had a thing for pain."   
Alastor quietly chuckled, trailing a finger down from Anthony's hair to the fresh mark on his collarbone, circling it a few times.

Anthony pulled away after a moment, concluding it didn't quite do it for Alastor.  
"I kinda knew."  
He admitted but not going any further with that. It was a bit of a long story of his discoveries. Now kissing down Alastor's torso with a soft hum, only making it halfway down before stopping. He pulled away and sat up, moving his hands down to start removing Alastor's pants.

Alastor was immediately curious to know the origins behind Anthony's discovery of that, but it could ultimately wait. The moment he felt Anthony beginning to remove his pants, the brunette's breath hitched slightly, a sigh escaping his lips as he helped Anthony by removing his belt for him.   
"I'm curious, yet relieved."   
He spoke softly, already knowing that he himself received great enjoyment and entertainment from causing people pain, that being another reason why he did just that frequently.

Anthony chuckled lightly and nodded, knowing Alastor might have found that interesting and it would ultimately be extremely useful for them both.  
"So ah... y' probably dunno how t' help me prepare, do ya?"  
He asked, a sudden strike of nerves hitting him as he felt the mound beneath Alastor's clothes as he was removing them. He hadn't had anything that big inside him before, obviously, and knew it was going to take a fair amount of work to really get there.  
"Or at least have an idea of what t' do?"

Alastor took another breath as Anthony brushed his erection, lifting himself slightly to help with getting his pants off.  
"I have somewhat of an idea."   
He responded, feeling his cheeks flushing once again.   
"And I will try my hardest to not cause you discomfort, you have my word."

Anthony nodded, inhaling deeply as he pulled Alastor's pants off of his legs and set them aside before starting to remove his own.   
"I know what t' do. I only asked in case y' wanted t' let me do all that or if y' wanted t' help-"  
He said, his voice getting quieter as he stood and let the garment fall, leaving them both in their underwear now.   
Why was he so nervous now? They've done something like this before and Alastor had seen his body, but something was different. Maybe it was the extent they were going to this time or maybe the lack of drunkenness between them. Maybe both.

Alastor looked to Anthony once the two of them were simply in their underwear, offering him a small smile, sensing the nerves on the others part. It made sense. Alastor was nervous too.  
"I'll do whatever you want me to do and whatever you're comfortable with."   
He smiled, sitting up to gently capture Anthony's lips in a kiss of reassurance.

Needless to say, Anthony was so happy to be sharing this with Alastor. He was so patient, considerate, and understanding; at least with him he was, not so much with other people. This meant everything to him, honestly.

Smiling softly, Anthony cupped Alastor's cheeks and returned the kiss.   
"Grazie, amore mio."  
He whispered, now slipping his thumbs into the waistband of his underwear and pulled them off along with his socks, kicking it all away as he now stood exposed in the darkened room due to the curtains being closed.   
Taking a deep breath, the blonde then picked up the canister of oil and sat down on the bed next to Alastor.  
"Your bed might get a little oily so uh... might wanna get a towel or somethin' t' put down."  
Stupid how he didn't think of that before they got this far.

Alastor quickly removed his socks, discarding them somewhere, however just before he could remove his underwear too, Anthony brought up a point about the mess.   
"Yes, you're quite right. I'll get something."   
He muttered, pressing a brief kiss to Anthony's lips before he stood as well, knowing that the towels were kept in the bathroom.   
Quickly, Alastor left his bedroom and made his way to the bathroom, leaving Anthony in his room for now.

Anthony smiled softly and once Alastor had left the room, started to try calming himself down.   
Everything was going to be okay and this wasn't going to change anything between them. They still loved each other very much and this was only going to strengthen their relationship. There was nothing wrong with any of this and if they didn't like it, they wouldn't have to do it again. Everything was going to be okay.

Looking at the oil canister, Anthony took a deep breath. He wouldn't admit to it, but he had fantasized about this more than once.

Once in the bathroom, Alastor couldn't help but take a moment for a quick breather. Standing in front of the mirror, he let his eyes close. He wanted this, he really did and he trusted Anthony completely, but of course, those nerves were still there, digging at him. He knew he shouldn't have been nervous, but he was. He just wanted this to be everything that Anthony wanted.

Quickly gathering his thoughts and a towel, Alastor was soon walking back out of the bathroom again and into his room, looking across at Anthony with a grin, holding up the towel as he closed the door behind him, the room darkening. 

When Anthony heard Alastor coming back in, he looked to him and smiled softly, standing so the towel could be placed properly.

"Found one."   
He chuckled, moving to sit back beside Anthony on the bed again, carefully laying the towel down over the bedding.   
"I'm ready when you are, my dear. And just know, it's not too late to say no."

"I know it's not. You know that too, right?"  
He hummed as he then wrapped an arm around the man's neck, placing a few kisses there.

Wrapping an arm around Anthony's waist in turn, feeling some of the raised skin of scars he had mentioned, Alastor held him close as he embraced the kisses to his neck, slowly falling back against the mattress, once again bringing Anthony with him as he held his chin up. If the blonde hadn't brought up the fact that he had scars on his back before that moment, he might have been a little worried.

"I know."   
He breathed before capturing Anthony's lips in another passionate kiss, his free hand slowly wandering down his pale chest.

Anthony, of course, kept the canister level so it wouldn't spill over even though it was closed, putting it on the nightstand for now so his hands could work on getting Alastor's underwear off.  
"Non sai quanto ho aspettato~"  
[You don't know how long I've waited~]  
He moaned against his lips before tilting his head and deepened the kiss. He didn't bother translating it, figuring the moan behind the words said enough... probably.

Shifting his hips a little, Alastor helped Anthony get his shorts off, tossing them away with the rest of their clothing.   
Anthony's words, while Alastor didn't know exactly what he had said, the tone said it all, Alastor humming smugly in response, biting down on Anthony's bottom lip once again. 

"Je te veux plus que tu ne le penses."  
[I want you more than you know.]  
He groaned softly in reply, breathing quickly laboring.

The tone in Alastor's words was extremely tantalizing and sent a shiver down Anthony's spine with another moan in reply, the bite to his lip not helping that either. The blonde lowered his hips until he was laying on top of Alastor, their erections meeting again for the first time since early February of 1921, neither of them having changed in that aspect, giving another sweet and sultry moan as the familiar feeling was felt.

As soon as he felt their erections pressing against each other, Alastor couldn't hold back the low and quiet moan that left his own lips, something of a chill wracking his body.   
"Anthony~"   
With the arm that had been wrapped around Anthony, Alastor used it to help suddenly switch their positions, the brunette sitting up and gently rolling Anthony onto his back, managing to pin both of his hands above his head, kissing down his neck.

The sudden escalation definitely caught Anthony off guard, but that definitely didn't mean he didn't like it, in fact, he loved it.   
Giving a moan, not bothering to fight to get his hands free, he sighed and kept his eyes closed to keep himself focused on what was happening now and not was going to happen.   
"You're so good to me..."  
He moaned, his back arching as if it was going to help him get more of this attention.

Kissing right over the darkening hickeys he had left on Anthony just minutes ago, Alastor slowly began to kiss his way down his lover's body, still keeping Anthony's hands pinned above him, but with one hand now.   
He could tell that Anthony was enjoying this, and that was perfect since Alastor was too. 

The lower Alastor went, the easier it was for Anthony to watch his every move. For some reason, he enjoyed the feeling of not being able to do anything to stop this man while still being fully capable and welcomed to do so if he felt like he had to.

Reaching Anthony's lower stomach, Alastor looked up into the other's eyes just to see his reaction as he teasingly ran the nails of his free hand down the Italian's stomach.

Biting his lip, Anthony gave a very small smirk until the nails started teasing him, that's when the inner corners of his brows turned upwards, eyes closed, back arched and head tilted back as his body shook with a pleading moan.  
"God~"  
He breathed, erection only growing harder.

The sheer _desperation_ in Anthony's tone, the way he was pleading- that was what got to Alastor the most. The fact that he was causing a pleasurable sort of pain and desire without actually harming Anthony, it aroused in all sorts of ways and it made Alastor want to continue and do more to the blonde that would push him over the edge. It was exciting by all means.

Seeing how far he could go with this, Alastor began to press a few nails in a little deeper just above Anthony's right hipbone now, well aware of his lover's growing need that was just in front of him.

Anthony simply shuddered and pressed his hips up into Alastor's nails with another breathy moan, craving more of this sweet torture.   
"Sì, per favore, di più~"  
[Yes, please, more~]  
He sighed, trying to keep his voice from shaking too much.

Alastor had nothing less than a grin on his face as he continued to dig his nails into Anthony's hips, dragging them downwards.   
Gently letting go of Anthony's hands that were pinned, Alastor trailed the pads of his fingers down the blonde's body now with his free hand, stopping when light fingertips brushed Anthony's length.   
Alastor's own breathing was a little less calm now, his calm demeanor as a whole coming apart now that he was here indulging his lover in the beginnings of sadistic pleasure.

Anthony's composure was rapidly deteriorating, his body quivering and heating up under Alastor's touch. With his hands now free, it took him a few moments to gain the motivation to move them, only deciding to grip the pillow that his head rested on.   
He was loving this more than he would have expected, trying not to let his hips jolt up into the sensations and touches he was experiencing. He was more than ready for this to really begin but wasn't going to stop this foreplay. As long as Alastor was enjoying himself, that's all Anthony could hope for.

Letting his fingers dig in for a few moments more, Alastor soon pulled them back, his other hand ever so quickly brushing Anthony's length again in a manner that was nothing but teasing, before he pulled back that hand as well. 

Looking down at Anthony who was quivering below him was euphoric to Alastor. To know that he could get someone he loved worked up in this sort of way was beyond anything he could have comprehended; but, as much as he was enjoying the torture, he needed his own release eventually too.

Extending his arm out to the nightstand, Alastor carefully brought the canister of oil over onto the bed, taking a breath as he looked down at Anthony again.   
"You will let me know if it's genuinely too much?"   
He asked.

Trying to regain at least a smidgen of his composure, Anthony relaxed into the bedding again, his body still twitching here and there as he looked up at Alastor. Taking a deep breath, he then nodded with a small but sincere smile.  
"'Course I will, as long as y' tell me when y' need help or ain't sure."  
He replied, voice quiet and a little trembly still.

Nodding slowly, Alastor shuffled a little further down on the bed, looking at Anthony with a small smirk as he took one of his thighs and spread them apart slightly more as he got a peek of the scar Anthony spoke of. A wound clearly from a bullet in his left calf. Of course, he didn't say anything about it directly.  
"Beautiful, mon amour."   
Alastor whispered, untwisting the cap on the metal canister of oil before pouring a smart amount into his other palm, reaching across to place the canister back on the nightstand. It wasn't a very thick liquid at all, so Alastor could see how it would easily make a mess if they weren't careful.

Dipping a left index finger into the oil, very slowly Alastor reached out for Anthony's hole, not wasting a moment before he was lightly spreading the oil around to lubricate it, not yet pushing in.

Anthony made sure that he was in a comfortable position before lifting his legs a little more so he was a little more exposed for easier access. Feeling the slippery fluid against him made his breath hitch and shudder. It was strange having someone else do this, but because it was Alastor, it was a nice sort of weird.

Gulping, Anthony closed his eyes and focused on relaxing himself so that when Alastor deemed them ready, he would be able to insert his finger without any issues.

Alastor took a few moments to let Anthony get used to the feeling, the brunette kissing up the other's stomach now, helping him relax a little more as he began to put a bit more pressure against Anthony's tight hole, glancing down to apply more oil before he very slowly began to press his finger in, looking up at Anthony's face to check for any sort of discomfort of any kind.

Anthony's stomach jolted and his grip on the pillow beneath him tightened slightly as a groan left his throat, the kisses helping him remain calm and soothed. Exhaling as steadily as he could, his eyes found Alastor and he gave a small smile to let him know that he was okay before a hand left the pillow and moved to tangle within Alastor's chocolate locks. The gentle massaging definitely prepared him for the first penetration.

Using the rest of the oil that was in his palm, Alastor carefully slid his finger in to the second knuckle, continuing with the kisses to Anthony's lower stomach.   
"Mon amour..."  
Alastor whispered again against Anthony's skin, slowly pulling his finger out and slipping it back in again with a little more ease, his head leaning into Anthony's grip on his hair.

Anthony let out another shaky, breathy moan, his back arching a little as Alastor went a little deeper. The heated breath against his flesh was a pleasant added sensation.  
"Alastor~"  
He moaned in reply.

At the moan from Anthony, Alastor let his eyes close, letting out a shaky breath against Anthony as his finger pressed a little more, his finger entering entirely this time.   
"Anthony~"   
Alastor responded, curling his finger slightly inside of the other, the sheer heat that Alastor felt making him shiver.

Anthony's body completely rattled and shook the deeper Alastor ventured, his back arching and toes on the verge of curling as his walls hugged the finger that he was presented with.   
"Oh g- hah!~"  
He whimpered with a small gasp, biting his lip in hopes of hushing himself but the moaning hum continued to escape his throat.

"Laisse-moi t'entendre..."  
Alastor whispered, looking up into Anthony's eyes before he repeated himself in English.   
"Let me hear you~"   
Unlike the last time where they were in a hotel room with the possibility of thin walls, here in Alastor's home, Alastor knew that they certainly wouldn't be heard. Anthony could be as loud as he wished.

With his free hand, the taller man once again reached over to grab the oil canister, pouring some more out onto a second finger, a bit of the liquid dripping down onto the towel below them.   
Curling the finger that was inside Anthony again, Alastor gently pressed a second to his entrance, twisting them around gently, looking for a reaction from Anthony once again.

The blonde's cheeks began flushing intensely, never being able to make much of any noise before, he was worried about what sounds he was going to make if he was given that full freedom. If they were going to be ridiculous or grotesque.

Upon the second finger teasing him, however, Anthony knew he was going to have a hard time keeping quiet; then the thought of Alastor's cock inside of him really made him realize that his voice was undoubtedly going to be heard no matter how hard he tried to silence himself.   
If one finger was already a bit of a struggle, a long and girthy member was going to change the word struggle to _impossible_.

Looking down at Alastor with heaving breath and red cheeks, Anthony removed his hand from the man's hair so he wouldn't hurt him when he inevitably dug his nails into and pulled whatever he was holding.

Looking up into Anthony's eyes again, checking to see if he was okay, Alastor just grinned, slowly slipping the one finger out before pushing back in again, however this time with the added second finger. It was a bit of a tight squeeze, but with the amount of oil Alastor had added, some more dripping down onto the towel, he presumed it would be okay.

Anthony's teeth clenched and his back arched with a loud hiss as he inhaled, glad that he took the precaution of removing his hand from Alastor's hair as his hand uncontrollably gripped the fabric beneath him tightly, nails indeed digging into whatever they found.

"Oh, Al!~"  
He moaned loudly, his back returning back down to rest against the mattress as he spread and lifted his legs a bit more. It was a tight fit at first but the more they prepared him, the easier it would get.

Alastor couldn't help but let his thoughts wander to what Anthony would feel like around his cock. From the way his insides were squeezing just two fingers alone, well, that was enough fantasy on its own; it made Alastor shiver, the man groaning softly as he curled both the fingers up this time, feeling something of a rounded lump within the blonde with the tip of his middle finger, just barely brushing it.

As the little lump was toyed with, the blonde's body completely shook as an immense sense of pleasure took over like a tsunami starting from that tiny spot and spread aggressively, causing yet another loud, wall-shaking moan to erupt. His walls only tightened and throbbed against Alastor's fingers while the familiar slightly viscous liquid began to seep from the tip of his cock. It was clear that the spot Alastor had just found was _extremely_ sensitive.

Alastor was somewhat surprised at the moan that left Anthony's lips as what was obvious his prostate was nudged even slightly. He hadn't expected the reaction, but the smile of pure mischievous joy that spread across Alastor's face as he realized what effect it had on his lover, it was unmeasurable. The vice grip that Anthony's hot insides now had on his two fingers had Alastor almost moaning. 

Oil was running down Alastor's wrist as he stretched Anthony out, the man using the end of the towel to wipe up as much as he could, trying not to spill any of it to the best of his ability.

"How many have you taken before..."   
The brunette asked softly, gathering from what Anthony had told him beforehand, that he had done his own research in that sort of sense.   
He wanted to add a third finger, just to make sure that Anthony was completely prepared.

It took Anthony a few moments to recover, breath heavy and his body was heated to the point he was beginning to sweat, moaning even still.  
He slowly raised three fingers to show what he had managed in the past because his voice was overtaken with the moans and whimpers. 

Something Anthony had noticed with his developing masochism though, was that it only came about when he was with Alastor. He only ever seemed to truly enjoy pain when it was Alastor causing it. It didn't have the same effect when it was himself, his brother, or his father. The pain still did something to him, sure, but because it wasn't by someone he necessarily loved or trusted, it didn't bring him the same kind of pleasure.  
So, that being said, Anthony had a feeling that even if this did hurt, it was going to be the best kind of hurt he would ever experience.

Alastor looked up as Anthony raised his three fingers, nodding in understanding as he reached for the oil once again.   
Of course, Alastor had taken into account in the obvious fact that his fingers were far longer than Anthony's, his hands bigger too.

Pulling both fingers out just to his fingertips, fresh oil coating three now, Alastor began to carefully coax the third in along with the other two, leaning back down to gently kiss at Anthony's hip bones where nail marks from earlier were visible.

Anthony focused on his breathing as he prepared himself for the impending discomfort he was about to experience. The feeling of the third finger readying put him on a little bit of an edge, but made sure he kept breathing and keeping himself relaxed.  
He took this moment to look down at Alastor, the careful kisses soothing him slightly. A small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"I love you..."  
He breathed, bringing his hand back to run his fingers through Alastor's hair as if it would help get his point across.

"I love you too, Anthony. More than you know."   
Alastor replied softly. For the new few moments, he continued to get Anthony used to the three fingers, stretching him out and generously applying more oil as he went, checking in with him to make sure that he was alright.

Of course, as expected, it was a tight fit and did cause Anthony some discomfort, but he reassured Alastor that he was alright through his moans that he was fine and that he would get used to it the more he was exposed and stretched; which was true and did eventually happen. He even gave some direction as to what Alastor was to do whether that was to speed up or slow down, go deeper, or slowly pull out and reenter.  
The more Alastor prodded and spread his fingers slowly, the easier it became and the more comfortable it all became. 

Alastor appreciated the directions Anthony gave him, the man doing as he asked every time, knowing that Anthony, of course, knew what he wanted and what was too much or too little.  
Eventually, he got to the point where he was able to begin slowly pumping the three fingers in and out of his lover, his free hand gently brushing Anthony's weeping erection to add to his pleasure.

The added sensations were definitely of help, but even still, as Alastor's digits slid in and out, he happened to graze Anthony's prostate at the very least, causing him to leak more, squirm, twitch and of course, cry out in nothing short of euphoria.

Every little twitch, moan and groan that left Anthony's lips, Alastor savored. They were sounds that he had caused and sounds that made him all the more aroused as he continued. Every so often, he would purposely curl his fingers up just that little bit more, intentionally brushing Anthony's prostate to hear the blonde sing out a plethora of beautiful laments.

Soon though, Alastor began to slow down the speed of his fingers, noticing Anthony's erection leaking more and more with every moment that passed.   
"Anthony~"   
He smiled, carefully slipping out his fingers and wiping them on the towel.

By this point, Anthony was undoubtedly ready for this to escalate, getting to the point he really wanted to please Alastor as well. He appreciated everything that the man had done and was continuing to do, but he wanted to return the favor now.   
As if reading his mind, he felt Alastor removing his fingers so his eyes opened and his noises calmed to a faint whisper, feeling his body come relaxed and calm.

His green pools opened and looked at the man, chest rising and falling rather quickly.  
"Sono pronto-"  
He whimpered with a nod.  
"I'm ready..."  
He repeated.  
"Lasciami accontentarti~"  
[Let me satisfy you too~]

Alastor nodded slowly in response, taking a few breaths as he reached for the oil once more, pouring some out into his palm as he shifted further up the bed. 

"Je t'aime..."  
[I love you...]  
Alastor whispered softly, his breath hitching slightly as he reached down to slick himself up with the oil, eyes closing in fleeting relief, having been more focused on Anthony's pleasures than his own for the past while.   
"I'll be careful."   
He continued, looking down and holding Anthony's thighs apart a little more with one hand, lining his erection up to Anthony's lubricious hole with his other.

Anthony kept his eyes on Alastor and worked with him so that he could find the best angle to penetrate at. Once it seemed he found the angle and placed himself, Anthony's eyes shifted to Alastor's face as he found a steady breathing rhythm.  
"Just go slow... I'll be alright, Al."  
He sighed, feeling the tip against him.

Nodding once again, slowly Alastor began to push the tip of his erection in, groaning to himself at the hot and tight pressure he felt, even if it wasn't much at first. Anthony was quite slick, so despite how slow Alastor was going, Anthony's body seemed to just take him in regardless.   
Reaching up, he took hold of the blonde's hand in his own, intertwining their fingers and giving his palm a gentle squeeze as he let his hips guide his cock into his lover.

Alastor couldn't help but huff a quiet breathy moan out at the heat that was engulfing him paired with the tightness. It was a squeeze, no doubt, and despite having just taken three fingers, Anthony's body was still impossibly tight, like a vice around him.

Anthony held Alastor's hand tightly with his eyes closing, hissing as he inhaled through clenched teeth for about four seconds as he proceeded to be stuffed like never before. Once Alastor stopped, the blonde gave an almost growling sort of moan as his body started to get used to the new size that entered him.  
His eyes opened again and he looked at the man to see if he could tell how he was feeling about all of this. A few strands of his hair hung down in front of his face and Anthony could see that he had a few beads of sweat forming on his forehead even in the darkened room; the light from outside gave just enough light through the fabric to reflect some off of the moisture. Alastor was an incredibly beautiful man, his meager body and all of the imperfections just made him so stunning. 

Alastor could be unbelievably brutal and terrifying at times, but Anthony only ever received the kindest and gentlest sides of him.   
Alastor never failed to make Anthony melt just by being who he was. All sides of this man were immaculate.

Another moan escaped Anthony as Alastor slowly started pushing in again, his mouth opening and his grip tightening again.

Grunting softly as he pushed in inch by inch, when Alastor stopped he was just about halfway in, the amount of pleasure that cascaded up and down his entire body at simply entering Anthony being almost too much.

Unscrunching his face, feeling Anthony's grip on his hand tighten, Alastor's focused gaze raised to Anthony's rosy face, a warm smile of fondness crossing Alastors features as he observed his lover.   
Pushing in a little more, Alastor shifted his hips so he was able to properly lay above Anthony now, their chests almost flush.   
"J-Je n'avais jamais vu un homme aussi beau~"  
[I've never seen such a handsome man~]  
Alastor groaned out, lips parting as he brought his face closer to the blonde's, seeking out Anthony's soft lips in return.

Those words. Anthony didn't know what they meant but they still made his bottom lip quiver from just the tone alone. The stutter at the beginning; a clear sign that he was at a point of breaking with pleasure. It all just made Anthony melt entirely. To think that this was happening with Alastor, a man, and Anthony, also a man, had absolutely fallen head over heels for each other despite society's rules and laws, reciprocating and genuinely feeling the same way for each other was the most beautiful thing he had ever could have imagined.

Returning the kiss for a few moments, Anthony wrapped his arms around Alastor's neck before pulling away to speak, his eyes remaining closed.  
"Non so cosa hai detto ma le tue parole mi fanno sciogliere..."  
[I don't know what you said, but your words make me melt...]  
The blonde sighed, voice a bit shaken.  
"Qualunque cosa che dici con quella voce vellutata mi fa innamorare di più~"  
[Anything you say will make me fall in love even more~]  
He added with a loving smile.

With his other hand now, Alastor was able to cup Anthony's cheek and press their foreheads together as he shifted his hips a little more, eyes closing tightly as he buried himself a little deeper into his lover, a sort of wonderful, unique and special feeling he could have never imagined. This was a moment he truly would cherish for the rest of his existence, and he would stick by that.

Anthony was a beautiful human being amongst a whole plethora of humans who Alastor couldn't have cared less about. No one was interesting, yet Anthony held mysteries, even now. Other people's pain and fear was what Alastor thrived off of and received great entertainment from, but with Anthony, simply holding a conversation with him brought Alastor all of those feelings and more.

Their relationship was one of a kind, in both the rarest and illegal senses, and beautiful moments like the ones Anthony and Alastor were sharing currently only made their relationship that much stronger.

Pure white, hot pleasure was already rushing through Alastor's body, the desire to begin moving within his lover was strong, however, he would wait until Anthony was both ready and comfortable. Today had been a big day for both of them.

Anthony's head tilted back as he let out a soft and almost needy moan as Alastor moved in a little more. His breath hot and heavy as he felt himself slowly find comfort in this filling feeling. It was one of the most pleasant experiences and he couldn't be happier with this. He couldn't have asked for a more perfect first time with his lover.

It took only a few more moments before Anthony found himself wiggling his hips and urging Alastor to continue.  
"Sono pronto."  
[I'm ready.]  
He said as he slowly opened his eyes.  
"Per favore, fammi tuo! Per ora e per sempre~"  
[Please make me yours now and forever~]  
He moaned, bringing their lips together again in a deep and passionate kiss as the heat of their bodies pressed against each other, Anthony holding tight to the man with both his arms and his internal walls.

Alastor embraced the passionate kiss in its entirety, kissing back with just as much want and desire that was given, if not more.   
Again, Alastor didn't understand what specific words Anthony was saying, but the tone and the way the blonde spoke, he could understand everything.  
"Sois à moi..."   
[Be mine...]  
He breathed a with a moan, pushing his hips the rest of the way until his and Anthony's hips were flush with each other, causing the Italian to jolt and squirm a little with a loud moan come from his throat.

Panting softly into their passionate kiss, Alastor gently began to move his hips, the tight grip that Anthony's heated insides had on him, practically clinging to his every move as he pulled out just a little before slowly thrusting back in again, another audible moan leaving the man's mouth and into Anthony's.

The blonde's body trembled yet again but more intensely when Alastor began to thrust, definitely deeper than his fingers' reach, nails digging into the man's back as Anthony let out a loud pleading moan into their kiss, a tear forming in the corner of his eye. 

"Ti sento così profondamente!~"   
[I feel you so deeply!~]   
He whimpered, only pulling back long enough for that before returning to it and pulled back again, opening his eyes to look up at the man above him.   
"Mi fai sentire così bene, Alastor~"   
[Make me feel so good, Alastor~]   
He breathed, feeling Alastor surpass the sensitive spot through his slow and deep thrusts.

With every even slight movement, Alastor found himself hitting, if not brushing Anthony's prostate every time. As Anthony's body seemed to adjust to the stretch, Alastor found it increasingly easier to begin rolling his hips, thrusting a little quicker into his lover, a hand trailing up Anthony's chest, neck, and then to his face, wiping away the small tear that had formed.

Alastor could barely form words, his eyes squeezing shut tightly as quiet grunts of muffled pleasure left his lips that were against Anthony's, their kiss being nothing short of energetically heartfelt.

Anthony leaned into Alastor's hand as he wiped the tear, a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth from both the sweetness and the fulfillment.   
His eyes closed again as the kiss resumed, digging his nails deeper as he proceeded to drag them down and across Alastor's back and shoulders, leaving red marks all down and across his flesh.  
The blonde's moans continued, feeling the wet and sticky liquid seep from his tip at a faster rate now as a knot began to form deep in his gut, causing more loud grunting and growling kinds of moans.

Alastor admittedly found his back arching slightly at the way Anthony dug his nails right into his skin, no doubt causing some sort of damage. The mild stinging from that only added to the pleasure in Alastor's opinion, his teeth biting down on Anthony's bottom lip as they locked lips.   
He was sweating quite a lot now, his body sticking to Anthony's as he sped up his thrusts a little more, sliding deeper if possible, into his lover with every single one.   
He could feel the sticky liquid from Anthony's length against his stomach, that being another sign that the blonde was close. Alastor was too, the overwhelming pleasure of simply everything being almost too much. 

"A-Anthony~"   
Alastor moaned out, his thrusts becoming faster and a little sloppier, almost slipping out of Anthony a few times.   
"I... I can't-"   
He continued, knowing that the blonde would get what he was saying.

The faster Alastor went, the louder the sound of skin slapping against skin became, at first only subtle but now it very well could have been echoing through the house along with their moans and grunts.   
Anthony found extreme pleasure with how aggressive and desperate Alastor was becoming. Seeing this raw desire from his lover did _so_ many things for him.

Anthony could hardly hold on, his need to release so intense and he knew Alastor was having the same issue. He brought himself to where he could whisper in his ear, his breath hot against Alastor's skin.  
"It's okay. Let it happen~"  
He then shifted slightly so he could get a good spot on the base of Alastor's neck where it met his shoulders and sunk his teeth down into his skin as he let himself release the knot.   
His body trembled and quivered as he came, five hefty pumps of cum gushing out of him one after another with a loud bellowing groan, his walls throbbing around Alastor naturally as reached his climax.

The hot breath against his ear paired with the paining pleasure of Anthony's teeth sinking into his neck had Alastor's toes curling, his hips searing forwards with one last thrust as he felt his orgasm rush over him.

A gravelly moan, one that came from Alastor's panting chest, left his lips as hot cum spurted out of his cock, filling Anthony's deep insides, length thickening around the blonde's pulsating walls as he relieved himself with pleasure. His fists clenched from where his hands rested either side of Anthony's head, the man leaning down and slamming his lips down on his lover's as he let out low moans of contentment. They were both a sweaty and sticky mess, but the moments of pleasure they'd just shared made everything worth it.

Anthony could feel himself filling with Alastor's seed, causing him to squirm a little from underneath him with his back arching and a loud, squeaky and whiny moan filling Alastor's mouth.

With shaky legs and heavy breath, Anthony started to come down from his natural high, feeling like a lake calming just after a raging storm. It was bliss and Anthony wasn't going to give any of this up for the world.

Bringing his hands back to cup Alastor's cheeks once they both had managed to settle a little, Anthony pulled away and looked at his lover's face. He was a sweaty disaster with his hair sticking to his forehead. He knew he probably wasn't any better, but he found Alastor to be beautiful like this. He made Anthony feel safe through all of this and to know that they enjoyed it all equally made him so happy.  
Anthony couldn't have asked for a more perfect person to fall in love with.

Closing his eyes as Anthony cupped his cheeks, Alastor pressed their foreheads together, the brunette placing the gentlest of kisses to the end of Anthony's nose, huffing a breathless chuckle as he slumped down on top of his lover.

"I love you..."   
Alastor whispered, his words barely audible as he spoke them against Anthony's swollen lips from all of the biting.

It was truly like a moment of calm after the storm, and it was wonderful. The afterglow was wonderful. Anthony was wonderful. Alastor couldn't have asked for anything more in that moment.

Anthony smiled all the more, his body becoming weak and limp with how relaxed and tired he was, but that didn't stop him from clinging to Alastor with everything he had and returning the kisses to Alastor's neck.  
"Custodirò ogni momento che condividiamo. Sei tutto per me."  
[I will treasure every moment we share. You're everything to me.]  
He whispered.

Alastor's breathing had finally slowed to a relatively normal pace as he relaxed into Anthony's embrace, taking a deep breath of the other's scent as he continued to press the lightest of kisses down Anthony's neck.   
He was exhausted now, and no doubt Anthony was too- making love to the other had taken quite a bit out of him.

After a few minutes of regaining their energy and voices, Anthony lightly tapped on Alastor's shoulder.  
"Hey uh... as much as I'd _love_ t' stay like this with ya... you're gunna have t' get outta me soon and we gotta clean up-"  
He sighed, placing one final kiss to Alastor's shoulder.  
"Then we can have a nice long nap. How's that sound?"

Alastor nodded, eyes slowly opening as he sat up slightly with a smile.   
"That sounds wonderful, my dear."   
He spoke, voice a little croaky.

Taking a brief second to simply admire Anthony, Alastor soon sat up a little more, face scrunching slightly as he pulled out of him slowly, grateful for the towel that was still under them.

Anthony's body tensed and his back arched slightly as Alastor left his body, inner corners of his brows turning upwards with a soft moan.  
Not even a second later and cum started to ooze from Anthony's stretched and abused hole.   
It wasn't the most pleasant feeling in the world, but that didn't matter to him right now. He was still on cloud nine and wasn't going to be coming down any time soon. The only issue was, was he going to be able to get up and walk to the bathroom?

With a sigh, Anthony looked up at the man and smiled softly before propping himself up on his elbows.  
"Thank you, Alastor."

Alastor sat back on the bed a little, biting his bottom lip slightly at the quiet moan Anthony let out as he pulled out.   
"Are you alright?"   
He asked softly, looking down at himself and cringing slightly at the mess that was sticking to his skin upon his stomach.

Anthony glanced down at the mess on their stomachs and scrunched his nose a little before focusing on Alastor and nodding.  
"Couldn't be better."  
He smiled, sitting up a little more with a bit of a wince.  
"Are _you_ alright?"  
He asked, noticing the expression on Alastor's face when he saw the mess.

Smiling warmly, shuffling to the edge of the bed, and letting his legs rest upon the floor, Alastor nodded.   
"Yes, I'm fine. The sooner we get cleaned up, the better, I think. Then we can relax as we wish."   
Pushing off of the bed, Alastor managed to stand with a yawn, stretching his arms up.

Anthony slowly and carefully followed Alastor's lead, but unfortunately, the more he moved, the more that leaked out of him, and his legs seemed to shake even when he put his feet down on the ground.   
"Think, ah... think y' could help me t' the bathroom by any chance?"  
He asked sheepishly, knowing damn well he wouldn't make it there on his own.

Alastor quietly watched as Anthony stood, holding a hand out for him. When it was quite obvious that the blonde was going to be very unsteady on his feet, his smile widened slightly, the man chuckling as he took a step forward.   
"C'mere, mon cher."   
He laughed softly, doing as he had done in the kitchen earlier; scooping Anthony up safely into his arms.  
"I'm sure this will be much more efficient." 

"Oh, God!"  
Anthony quickly wrapped his arms around Alastor's neck once again, not expecting this but relaxed as the kiss to his nose was given, causing him to laugh a little.  
"What'd I do to deserve you?"  
The blonde asked as he leaned into the man carrying him, feeling his strong arms holding him close.  
God, he loved this man.

Leaning down, Alastor pressed another gentle kiss to Anthony's nose before he began to walk towards the door of his bedroom, heading for the bathroom.


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Birthday in the server! Wooooo!!!~

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Friday, August 3rd, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Anthony and Alastor took their time cleaning up, both of them being relatively tired after their exerting engagements that afternoon. As for the time, Alastor wasn't sure what it was _exactly_ , but he was confident that it wasn't too late meaning his mother wouldn't be home yet for a while still.

"Do you need anything for the pain?"   
Alastor asked, looking over to Anthony as they sat on the edge of the now clean bed, the towel that they had been using earlier out of the room.  
"I can imagine that it's quite uncomfortable. I apologize for that."

Once half-dressed again and set to relax, of course, as soon as Anthony sat down, he immediately needed to move out of that position, instead slowly moving so he was laying on his stomach.  
"Hey-"  
He huffed, gently nudging Alastor with his foot.  
"I knew what I was gettin' into so don't be apologizin' for nothin'."  
He then looked back at him and sighed with a small smile.  
"Painkillers would be real nice though."  
He finally answered.

The taller man gave a small grin, nodding at his words.   
"Alright. I won't be five minutes."   
Reaching out for Anthony's head, Alastor lovingly ran his fingers through the blonde's hair before standing up, looking back at the other as he exited the room and began to make his way downstairs to get Anthony some painkillers and water.

As they were cleaning up, Alastor had gotten a look at the scars on Anthony's back. They were old, but it still hurt him to see that his lover had gone through it in the first place. He didn't ask questions about them, not wanting to pry into that obviously unpleasant event. He also got a better look at the new wound on Anthony's left calf from being shot. He wasn't sure how he felt about that one, but it definitely put things into true perspective of the true dangers Anthony was in back home. It did make Alastor feel quite helpless in the sense that there was nothing anyone could do about any of it. It worried him, but he knew not to dwell on it for now. Anthony was safe here.

Anthony gave a small chuckle and sighed, watching as Alastor left the room. While he waited, he took this time to reflect and think about everything that had happened and simply appreciate everything for what it was.   
Closing his eyes, the blonde took a deep breath and kept himself relaxed, but not to the point he was going to fall asleep. He wanted to wait for Alastor to return first so they could nap within each other's arms.

Alastor wasn't gone long at all, just as promised. Within a few minutes, some painkillers and a glass of water in hand, he was returning to his room, nose scrunching slightly at the rather indiscreet sweaty smell that lingered in the air.

"Here you are."   
He called out, passing the items over, noticing that Anthony had his eyes closed.

Anthony opened his eyes and looked up at Alastor with a smile before sitting up to the best of his ability without causing more discomfort.  
"Thanks."  
He nodded, taking the small pill between his left index finger and thumb, he popped it in his mouth and took the glass of water with his right, having a few sips of it, then set the glass down and got comfortable again. 

Before he joined his lover, Alastor briefly walked over to the window, peeking through the curtain and opening his window now so the room could get some air. Once done though, he was quickly returning to Anthony's side, shuffling onto the bed beside him.

Anthony scooted over a bit so his lover could fit properly and smiled.  
"Gunna take a nap with me now?"

Alastor flopped down flat onto his back once the other moved over, arms folding behind his head to act as a pillow as he looked over at the blonde.   
"There's nothing I want more."   
And that was the absolute truth. They were both exhausted, so what better way to spend the rest of their afternoon together than to simply be asleep in each other's arms. It certainly sounded like bliss to the brunette.

Anthony smiled and moved in once he saw Alastor was comfortable. Staying off of his back, he put his cheek on the man's chest and wrapped his arm around his neck as best as he could.   
"I love you so much."  
He sighed out, closing his eyes.

Letting one hand rest in Anthony's hair, gently playing with soft blonde locks, Alastor moved his other hand slowly to the small of his lovers back, gently rubbing the muscles over in careful circles, hoping to ease any pain that Anthony was feeling.   
"What I feel for you is beyond anything that words can convey, but for now, the word love will have to do."   
He smiled, slowly letting his eyes close in pure contentment.

But as most things went, that bliss barely lasted ten seconds.

It was faint, given that Alastor's bedroom door was closed, but audible nonetheless. The loud ringing of a telephone from downstairs in the hallway began to echo throughout the house, the sound showing no signs of stopping no matter how much Alastor tried to ignore it for the best part of five seconds.  
"Damn it..."   
Alastor cursed, clearly displeased as he sat up once Anthony had shifted off of him.

It was last year that Alastor and Amélie had welcomed a telephone into their home, and while they didn't get calls often; when they did, they were usually of importance.

Anthony, of course, knew of this, being one of the only ones to call regularly.   
He cracked his eyes open and sighed, watching as his lover sat up. Anthony's first thought was that it was Amélie from the hospital, calling to see if Alastor was home.   
"I ain't goin' anywhere. Take your time, amo."  
He smiled softly, watching as Alastor left the room again.

With an expression of irritancy, Alastor hurried his way down the stairs and into the hallway where the phone was still ringing away.  
Grabbing the receiver and holding it up to his ear, the man curtly spoke to find out just who was calling.   
"Afternoon, Levesque."   
To be completely honest, he hadn't even checked the time to see if it even was the afternoon anymore.

There was a moment's silence, crackling static filling Alastor's ear until eventually, a voice piped up from the other end. A woman's voice, and not one that Alastor recognized.   
"Hello? Is this Alastor I'm speakin' to? It's Maria- well, Molly Ragnatela."

Brows raising, Alastor's attention was now fully on the caller, his relaxed and slouched posture straightening up.   
"Molly? Why, yes! This is Alastor! What a pleasant surprise this is, hearing your voice. Now that I think about it, I'd recognize that accent anywhere, haha!"   
There was no doubt that she was calling for her brother, but there was just one issue to that. Anthony could barely walk, and carrying someone down the stairs was much harder than carrying someone up.

"Can't believe I'm finally gettin' to hear y' voice. As much as I'd love t' talk though, I don't have long so could y' get Tony on?"

"Completely understandable. He's just upstairs, won't be a moment!"   
Leaving the receiver face up on the table that was just to the side, Alastor quickly made his way back up to his room and opened the door, looking to Anthony who was still laying in the position he'd left him.   
"Anthony darling, the timing is most inconvenient, but your sister is on the phone wanting to speak with you."

Anthony's eyes shot open and he looked to the man standing in the doorway.  
"What?"  
He started to sit up.  
"Is she okay? Does she sound upset? Frantic?"  
Anthony himself was getting a little frantic. Molly wouldn't call unless something was very wrong.

Starting an attempt to stand on his own two feet, the blonde started hurriedly started wobbling his way to the door, literally looking like a newborn foal.

Quickly reaching out for Anthony, Alastor offered him an arm, holding the door open as he helped the other out of the room, holding him up slightly.   
"If it's any consolation, then she sounded perfectly fine to me. I'm sure she simply wants to see how you are."   
He nodded, the two of them making their way to the top of the stairs, Alastor taking a step down first before helping Anthony down another. They continued that method until finally, they reached the downstairs hallway.   
"Are you alright?"   
He asked as he took a step away from Anthony.

Anthony nodded and thanked him for his help.  
"I'm fine, don't worry about me."  
He stated as he leaned against the wall for a moment then made his way over, still a bit on edge despite Alastor's reasonings. The painkillers obviously haven't kicked in yet but they would within the next few minutes. 

"I'll be sitting in the other room if you need me."   
He smiled, leaving Anthony in the hallway with the phone.   
"Take as long as you need."

Anthony shuffled over and took a breath, picking the receiver up and making sure he stayed against the wall.  
"Maria? It's Tony. What happened? Is everything okay?"  
He asked, eyes wandering rapidly.

Molly, as she waited for Anthony to be on the call, took a seat on top of her father's desk, not something she would have ever been able to do had he been there. Still holding the receiver to her ear, it was a few minutes later when her brother's voice crackled through that she jumped down off of the desk, smile wide.  
"Tony! 'Course everything's fine. Why? Are _you_ all alright? I just wanted t' see how y' were. You weren't worried, were ya?"

Anthony relaxed a bit and brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose.  
"God, 'course I was worried! Y' wouldn't call unless somethin' was wrong. How didja know I was at Al's anyway? Oh! And b'fore I forget, I ordered your dresses t'day."  
His mind was obviously running now that he knew Molly was okay and they had this time to talk.

Laughing a little, it didn't take Molly much effort to imagine the sort of face her brother was making right about now.   
"Oh, y' did?! Thank you _so_ much. I'll bet the fashion over there is plenty different from here. And I kinda just presumed you'd be over at Al's. Just a hunch, y' know?"

Anthony huffed a small chuckle.  
"A twin thing, I guess. Anyways, I'm doin' alright here, so how're things back home? Pops got anyone new on your case yet?"  
He asked, looking in the direction of the lounge where Alastor was for a moment.

Molly let out a long, and probably over-exaggerated sigh, the woman nodding her head, forgetting that her brother couldn't see her.   
"Things are pretty much the same at the house, and y' guessed it. Seems worse now ya ain't here. But... there _is_ somethin' else I wanna tell ya."

Anthony's eyes narrowed at that, putting his full attention on what his sister was saying now.  
"What is it? Y' gotta tell me everythin' that's happenin'. I'll... come home early if I gotta."  
As much as he really didn't want to leave until he absolutely _had_ to, if his sister was in danger, he was absolutely going to do everything in his power to keep her safe. Even if it cost him his two weeks of eternity with Alastor.

"No no no, Tony- it ain't bad. I promise."   
She quickly butted in before her brother could jump to any sort of conclusions.   
"Y' don't have to come back before you're ready. Just listen."   
She appreciated her twin's worry, of course, but for once she actually had some good news, despite how much her father had been shoving possible suitors at her now more than ever.   
"I... made a friend, actually. Someone who's not gunna be like Nancy, I know it. She's... from another family."

Anthony took a moment to process what Molly was saying, eyes wandering again as his he was connecting the invisible dots in the air.  
"Oh, so... wait. She's from another family and you're sure about this friend? Y' _swear_ she ain't like Nancy. So help me if she hurts ya like Nancy did-"

Chuckling a little at Anthony's continuous concern, Molly could only smile.   
"It ain't gunna be like that. I ain't gunna like her in that way- I promised myself I wouldn't. She's just a friend, and y' don't know how happy I am with that."

Anthony slowly nodded, his eyes narrowing.  
"Alright, well, I'm glad ya got a friend. Y' know I'm gunna expect t' meet her when I get home, right? What's pops think of her?"  
He figured he'd ask to see if their father was aware of her new friend and approved.

That's where Molly's smile began to grow all the more, her hands pressing together in joy.   
"Pops thinks it's so great that I'm spending time with someone from another family! And y' know what? I met her through one of papa's failed attempts at findin' me a man! Ain't that just swell?"

Anthony couldn't help the smile that was tugging the corners of his mouth.  
"Well hey, at least that's somethin'. I'm real happy for ya! Maybe I should stay away a little longer than what's been planned. I've been gone for less than a week and you're already doin' great things."  
He chuckled, joking, of course, but sort of not. He wanted to stay in New Orleans longer than what he had scheduled but knew that probably wasn't the greatest idea.

Rolling her eyes with a bit of a laugh, Molly just shook her head.   
"Whether you were around or not, that wouldn't have changed a thing."   
She began.  
"But, speaking of you bein' away, how are the two of ya doin'? Al sounded a bit grouchy when he picked up earlier. Hope I didn't call at a bad time. I wanted to wait until Papa left before I called. Ain't got anyone t' be my lookout, haha."

Anthony huffed a small laugh and made an effort to look at Alastor in the lounge.  
"Ha, actually, I'm glad y' didn't call earlier. We were- ah... caught up in somethin' and were about t' take an afternoon nap."  
He explained, smiling at the man for a moment before pulling himself back to the conversation over the phone.  
"I don't think he's used t' workin' so hard, so he's tired, that's all."

Molly raised a brow a bit, eyes narrowing slightly at Anthony's words.   
"Afternoon nap? What, are y' an old man now? And Al's workin'? I thought he woulda' had the time off from the butchers. Huh."

"Hey, so what if I'm old? We were out choppin' wood for the last... what-"  
Anthony looked for a clock, cringing at his own lie but also internally laughing at how stupid it was.  
"How long were we at it for? Two, maybe three hours? That's some hard work right there."

"Choppin' wood? Wow, that pretty difficult work- especially in the kinda heat down there. It's warm here alright, but I bet down there in New Orleans it's sizzlin'."   
Molly laughed in response, winding the telephone wire around her finger as she spoke.  
"Well, I'm glad y' both doin' alright. I'm gunna be stayin' at Gio's place for the next week or so since Papa doesn't want me bein' alone in the house so much while you're gone. Guess I've got Alda t' deal with, but I'm sure I'll be okay."

"Well, where the heck is he off to that's so important?"  
Anthony asked, brows furrowing. Alda, Giovanni's wife, wasn't either of the twins' favorite person, so naturally, he was going to ask why she had to go in the first place.

"Oh, you _know_ he doesn't tell me _nothin'_ about _anythin'_. I just know it involves somethin' t' do with some deals or somethin'... yeah, I have no idea. It's alright though since I think gettin' out of the house will be nice."   
She knew that she wouldn't really get along well with Alda, especially with her being pregnant and all, it seemed her coldness towards Molly had been even more unbearable as of late.

Anthony rolled his eyes. Of course he wouldn't tell her anything. It probably had to do with one of the bars or distilleries.  
"Well, call again if there's anything y' need, alright? I'm happy y' made a friend and I can't wait t' meet her."  
He smiled.

Molly nodded once again at that, smiling to herself.   
"I will, don't y' worry. And you have a good time with your friend, haha. You really deserve it- these past few years have been hard on ya, I know."   
There was another small silence before Molly spoke again.   
"I'll let ya go now. Guess y' want your old man nap, huh?"

Anthony chuckled and shook his head.  
"It ain't me who needs the nap but yeah, call again if anythin' happens, but call the hotel and leave a message with them if I'm not in. They'll tell me y' called and I'll get to ya."  
He nodded.  
"Talk soon, Molls. Love ya."

"Talk soon. I love ya, Tony."   
With that, Molly put the receiver back on the holder, the line going blank as she let out a small sigh, swiftly leaving her father's office soon after.

Alastor, as he heard the goodbyes being said between Anthony and his twin, soon looked up from where he was sat on the couch, standing and making his way over to the blonde.   
"Was she alright after all?"

Anthony put the phone down and shifted so his back was up against the wall, running his fingers through his hair as he looked to Alastor.  
"Yeah, everything's alright. She just made a new friend and was real excited about it."  
He smiled, now reaching out for the man.  
"Ready for that nap now, big guy?"

"Hm, how nice of her to let you know."   
Alastor hummed as he stopped in front of the other, doing as he had done earlier and easily scooping Anthony up into his arms, saving him the trouble of having to stand any more.   
"More than ready, my dear... are you?"   
He simply couldn't take his eyes off of Anthony now that they were here, the blonde held so safely in his arms like this as he began to walk his way up the stairs.

Anthony smiled, though still not entirely used to being picked up and carried around, he did like it and didn't freak out this time around. Instead, he looked up at Alastor and held on, smiling as he leaned into his chest.  
"I'm more than ready."  
He sighed, kissing Alastor's collarbone once.

Finally, Alastor was allowed to relax as he laid Anthony carefully down on his bed, crawling onto the mattress beside him, letting his head rest into the crook of the other's neck for a few brief moments.   
Alastor was quite down dressed compared to what he usually was, simply wearing pants and a dress shirt, only the first few bottom buttons done up. He had no tie on or anything, but he didn't need to really. He only had plans to nap for the time being.

Anthony really didn't mind Alastor being dressed this way. It just meant he was able to appreciate Alastor's meager body that much more. Of course, he wasn't in much either, simply in his shorts and his shirt loosely hanging off of him.

Taking a deep breath, Anthony got himself comfortable again and returned to cuddling with his lover.  
"Attempt number two."  
He sighed.

Wrapping both arms around Anthony, holding him close, Alastor let out a long and tired sigh, feeling even more exhausted now that he was laying down.   
"And let's hope that this is the last."   
He smiled against the other's neck, letting his eyes slowly close in the hopes that sleep would quickly take over.

Anthony smiled and peppered a few little kisses to Alastor's cheeks and neck before settling his cheek on the man's chest with a content sigh.  
"I love you, Al."

Reaching out for the thin blanket they'd had over them earlier, Alastor pulled it over them once again, sighing too at the kisses to his cheeks and neck.   
"I love you too, Anthony."   
He spoke, words sluggish and tired as his eyes began to close.

It didn't take either of them long to fall asleep, so from three-thirty in the afternoon until nearly six o'clock the two men slept in each other's arms without any disruptions. Peaceful and comfortable.   
  
  
  


Anthony started to stir, laying with his cheek on Alastor's chest for a few more minutes before actually starting to open his eyes. It took a moment to adjust but as soon as they focused, the blonde blinked a few times and hummed, tilting his head to look up at Alastor just to see if he was awake yet.

Alastor slept like a baby, snoring softly away with his lover in his arms as he regained all the energy that had been exerted.  
When Anthony stirred, Alastor was still very much asleep, mouth open slightly as he breathed against Anthony's skin, face buried against his neck.

With a small chuckle, Anthony relaxed again and sighed, simply laying there for a few moments before deciding it was time to get up. So, he brought his hands up to gently run through Alastor's hair while placing very gentle kisses around his neck and face in hopes it would be a pleasant wake up for him.

Alastor groaned softly as he felt gentle kisses to both his neck and face, careful fingers running through his hair, the brunette pressing his face further into Anthony's neck.

Slowly, a warm smile began to rise to Alastor's tired face as he started to wake up.   
"Mornin'..."   
He mumbled tiredly, registering the soft kisses to his skin as he reached for the blanket that they had around them, pulling it up further.   
"Or evening... I don't know..."

Anthony raised a brow and continued kissing for a few moments before replying.  
"You got a southern accent now?"  
He asked with a small laugh, referring to the way he said 'morning'. 

Alastor yawned, eyes cracking open for a brief second before closing again.   
"Sometimes..."

"It's..."  
The blonde paused, looking to the clock that was on the wall.  
"...just after six in the evenin'."  
He stated in reply to his lover's uncertainty. Anthony was uncertain as well, surprised a bit by how dark it had gotten for so early in the day.  
"So we should probably get up and see if your mom's home, maybe make somethin' t' eat."  
He wasn't sure what they were going to do if she was home or how they were going to explain the quietness of the house when she returned.

Alastor went quiet for a few moments before speaking up again. 

"Yeah... it's late. We should get up. In five minutes or so, my dear..."

Anthony smirked and adjusted his position so he was laying directly on top of the man, leaning down and now kissing at his lips and whispering sweet nothings to him in Italian until he was ready to wake up.

As Anthony moved to lay on top of him, Alastor was able to wrap his arms fully around the blonde, tilting his chin up slightly as Anthony kissed his lips every so often. The softly spoken words were bliss to him, the brunette quickly deciding that this had been the best way he'd ever woken up in his life.

It was a little over five minutes that Alastor began to properly start to wake up, his eyes opening slowly, grinning smile wide on his face.   
"Are you in pain anymore?"   
Alastor asked, making sure to check on his lover first thing.

"A little, but it ain't _unbearable_."  
Anthony murmured, placing another soft kiss to Alastor's lips, this one a little longer than the other ones.  
"I'll live, don't worry."  
He added, placing another kiss.

Alastor gladly held the kiss for a few seconds, simply enjoying the feeling of Anthony's soft lips upon his own.   
"Mhm... you'd better."   
He chuckled, raising a hand to push some of Anthony's now messy hair out of his face. Truth be told, both of their hair was a complete mess, but it was understandable.

"I _better_?"  
Anthony huffed a laugh, raising a brow.  
"What're you gunna do if I don't? What if I _tragically_ died? What wouldja do then?"  
He asked in a more joking way than anything, despite the fact that it was a rather grim topic to discuss.

Shaking his head with a grin, Alastor let his eyes close once again.   
"Well, how tragic are we talking here? A quick, unexpected death, or something more painful. Unexpected, and tragic, but painful. Then again- you supposedly have a thing for pain... don't you?"   
A smirk rose to Alastor's face at that last part, remembering the discovery that Anthony had already apparently known about. One that supposedly had some sort of story behind it.

Anthony let out a bit of a heftier laugh this time.  
"I'm talkin' if I didn't make it outta this alive because my butt was sore."  
He paused, eyes wandering for a moment before they found the man beneath him again.  
"Unless y' wanna talk just in general, we can do that too. Better yet, just go through every possible scenario. Brutal to humane. Stupid to serious."

Opening an eye, smirk still there, Alastor chuckled.   
"Alright then. Well, for one, I would be quite astounded if you were to die due to having a sore 'butt'. It's quite impossible, but if we are also going through possible scenarios as to what could happen to you, well then, there's so many my dear! Where to start!"

Anthony rolled his eyes and shook his head.  
"Alright, wise guy."  
He laughed, leaning down to kiss Alastor's lips once again.  
"If it's so impossible, why were ya worried in the first place?"  
He asked with a smirk.

Alastor shrugged slightly, adjusting his arms that were wrapped around the other.   
"Well, Anthony Ragnatela, I happen to be worried about you. As much as I enjoy seeing people in pain, you are the exception it seems."   
He chuckled, raising his chin and leaning up a bit to reach Anthony's lips with his own.

The blonde raised a brow and gave a smirk.  
"I thought it was established that I like pain... to an extent-"  
He thought that he should add that last part just so they were clear that there were times when he wasn't going to enjoy it.

"I can tell it's quite uncomfortable for you."   
Alastor continued, eyes narrowing slightly.   
"But yes, you like pain. What _is_ the story behind your discovery to that? I am quite intrigued after today."   
He hummed, eyes closing.

Anthony cleared his throat and sighed.  
"Well... remember when ya cut my arm?"  
He began, sitting up a little as Alastor nodded, remembering it quite well.  
"That's when it kinda started. B'fore then, I didn't find pain t' be the greatest thing ever, then that happened and I found myself really likin' it. That's when I kinda found out that when it's someone I have some kinda feelings for is when I really do like it."  
He explained, running his fingers through his hair loosely. He was still processing it, if he was honest.  
"Doesn't make sense but that's that."

Alastor listened carefully.  
"All the way back then... hm. It makes sense my dear, don't worry."   
He nodded, eyes slowly opening again so he could look up into Anthony's that were above him.   
"I'm almost flattered that I was the one who made you realize your like for pain... under certain circumstances, of course."

Giving a soft laugh, Anthony leaned down again and placed another kiss to Alastor's lips.  
"C'mon. We should get up."  
He sighed, running his fingers through Alastor's hair now in an attempt to tame it a little.

Alastor sighed as he felt Anthony's fingers through his hair. He knew though that even with the blonde's attempts to flatten it down even slightly, it wouldn't really work. His hair was quite thick.   
"Alright. Let's get up."   
He smiled, slowly sitting up onto his elbows with another groan.

As Alastor day up though, Anthony didn't move. If anything, he actually went limp and put all of his dead weight on the man under him. He was still very much conscious and in control of his body, but really just wanted to mess around a little more.

Alastor, just as he was about to get up properly, suddenly found that to be quite difficult, the man lying back down again, head hitting the pillow.   
"Anthony-"   
He sighed with a slight smirk, bringing a hand up to push back the other's hair so he could see his face.   
"Anthony darling, weren't you the one who wanted us to get up in the first place?"

Anthony opened one eye and looked up at Alastor before closing it again.  
"Sorry. I spontaneously died just now. You're stuck here."  
He replied simply before sticking his tongue out and falling silent, portraying his death rather poorly and childishly. He didn't have much of a childhood, so now that he was free of expectations from home, he was taking this time to be the child he never got to be.

Alastor couldn't _not_ laugh at how childishly stupid Anthony was sometimes, the older man shaking his head with a laugh.   
"Well, if you're dead, I guess that means I _can_ sleep for a while longer after all. No one can stop me."

Anthony's brows knitted together and he looked at the man but stayed as he was.  
"I died on top of you and you're just gunna keep sleepin'? Damn."  
He then chuckled and moved to sit up.  
"No grieving? No tears? Nothin'?"  
Of course, if it were real, things would probably be different and Anthony acknowledged he was just being silly.

"I didn't know dead people could talk."   
Alastor smirked a little more, sitting up just as Anthony did, running a hand through his own hair now.

"I-"  
Anthony was interrupted by the sight of Alastor's messy hair, never having seen it so out of order now that he was more awake and alert, able to take note of details.  
"Now that's new."  
He chuckled out before shaking his head to get back to the point.

Alastor looked up a little, huffing a bit to blow some hair out of his face that was in the way of his eyes.   
"What's new?"

"Never mind. How do you know if d-"  
Again, he cut himself off, forgetting for a moment that Alastor saw dead bodies way more than Anthony probably even knew about.  
"Never mind."

He laughed, smile growing as he watched Anthony's train of thought continue to get derailed and lost. 

"You're so stunning... you know that?"   
He chuckled, reaching a hand out to cup his lovers cheek.

Anthony was pulled back to the present moment by the compliment, a smile coming to his face again.  
"I had a clue. Unfortunately, there ain't one single word t' sum _you_ up. The closest I think I'll ever get is the word magnificent. Even that doesn't cover it."  
He chuckled, leaning into Alastor's hand a little as he looked lovingly into his eyes. His hands finding their way to cup his cheeks in return.

Alastor let his forehead press gently against Anthony's, his eyes not leaving those beautiful green pools.   
"Magnificent. Beautiful. Stunning. Handsome. Those are but mere _words_."   
He spoke gently.   
"As much as I would love nothing more than to stare into your eyes for all eternity, we must get up, I'm afraid."

Anthony hummed in thought for a moment.  
"How about this; we set an entire day where we sit and stare into each other's eyes. The whole day."  
He suggested, of course, half-joking. If it was something Alastor wanted to do, he certainly wasn't going to complain.  
Another moment as they were and Anthony decided Alastor was right. It was time to get up.

Carefully moving off of him, Anthony put his feet on the floor and stood. He wasn't in too much pain, surprisingly, but that was probably down to the painkillers he was given.  
It was getting dark earlier than usual today, the sun seeming to set around eight in the evening here usually, but it was almost half-past six.   
Anthony took this time to walk over to the window and peer outside through the curtains. Dark clouds had moved in during their nap, that much was clear, and lightning looked to be flashing in the far distance.

Nodding with a grin, Alastor sighed softly, getting up soon after the other.  
Walking across to the window where Anthony stood, Alastor moved to stand beside him, wrapping an arm around the other's waist as they simply observed the dark and menacing looking skyline in the distance.   
"It seems a storm is on its way."   
He sighed, focusing on the streaks of light that were just barely visible.   
"It will be a big one, I think. It's been a while since it's rained."

Summer storms were rather frequent, as were hurricanes, especially when the weather was as humid and close as it was. Alastor could only hope that it wasn't anything too bad.

Anthony took a deep breath, making sure he remained calm. If there was lightning, there was going to be thunder, and if Alastor said it was going to be a big one, he was going to damn well believe it. This didn't look good for him though, his anxiety already starting to climb.

"Let's go make somethin'."  
Anthony finally said, stepping away from the window to grab his pants and started putting them on.

Keeping the curtain drawn as they stepped away from the window, Alastor buttoned up the rest of his shirt, not bothering with a tie or anything, simply putting his belt and socks back on again.  
"Mama should hopefully be back soon before the rain. If it starts to storm, the streetcar won't run."   
He sighed, looking over to the other.

Anthony put his suspenders on again and buttoned up his own shirt, tucking the bottom into his pants.  
"If that's the case, shouldn't I head back t' the hotel?"  
He asked, looking back at Alastor as he grabbed his own socks, starting to put those on too.

The taller man thought about that for a moment, humming softly.   
"If you wish, however, I would hate for you to be caught in the rain. It looks like it's going to start soon."   
He began.   
"Plus, if Mama sees you, she'll immediately want you to stay for dinner. It's been a while since you ate anything, my dear, and I'm presuming you're quite hungry."

"I had some of those things this morning, remember? Guess that ain't exactly a sustainable meal though."  
The blonde sighed, taking a moment to think it over. If he did get stuck here, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. In fact, it was probably the best thing for him. He and Alastor wouldn't be apart until the storm cleared, and Anthony hated being alone during storms.   
"Alright, I'll stay."  
He nodded with a small smile.

Smiling back in return, Alastor too nodded.   
"Excellent. I think it's probably best, my dear."   
With another sigh, not bothering to fix his hair, Alastor began to walk to the door of his room.  
"Right, well, we should start on dinner before Mama gets back. Anything you're in the mood for?"

Anthony followed close behind, wrapping his arms around the man from behind with a small hum.  
"I ain't picky, amo."  
He replied as he placed a kiss to Alastor's shoulder from where he stood, smiling softly as a very faint rumbling could be heard from outside. It wasn't booming or loud, so Anthony had no problems with it... yet.

Patting Anthony's hand that found its way on his waist as he opened his bedroom door, Alastor smiled as he looked over his shoulder.   
"Let's see what we have."   
He chuckled, reaching behind him to quickly brush a stray piece of hair out of Anthony's face.   
"Do you need help getting down the stairs?"

Anthony gave a small nod.  
"Help would be nice."  
He said softly.  
"Might also need some more pain killers..."  
He added, kissing the man's shoulder again before letting go so they could leave the room.

Extending an arm out for Anthony to take as they began to leave the room, Alastor nodded.   
"I'll show you where they're kept and you can take them as and when you need to. If Mama asks, blame your pain on a headache of some sort, she'll understand."

Anthony smiled a little and gave a small nod.  
"Got my hand t' blame too if I gotta."  
He replied as they slowly started making their way down the stairs.

Once down, they walked into the kitchen, light rain starting to make a gentle pitter-patter against the kitchen window, Anthony's jaw clenching as another low rumble echoed through the sky.

Alastor looked through the kitchen window, turning on the lights in the room since it was so dark outside now.   
"Hm, given the storms that recently passed in June and July, I have feeling that perhaps this one will be bad after all."   
Alastor hummed, turning from the window. However, as he did so, something in the corner of said window suddenly caught his eye. 

"Oh look!"   
He began, turning to Anthony.   
"It must have come in due to the rain."   
There, hanging down by an invisible web, was a rather mean looking spider, it's legs wiggling around as it made its way down from the corner of the window and towards the kitchen countertop.

Anthony was about to go into the lounge to see if he could spot any signs of Amélie but stopped and turned, looking towards the window. Not even a second after seeing the spider, Anthony became stiff, frozen in absolute terror as the watched the massive creature lower itself down from its web.

"No! No no no no no! No! No ai ragni! Quella cosa è _immensa_!"  
[No spiders! That thing is _huge_!]  
He called as he hurriedly left the immediate area and towards the front door.  
"Odio sto posto. Mene torno a New York!"  
[I hate this place. I'm going back to New York!]

Alastor watched on with something that resembled both amusement and surprise as Anthony with a metaphorical tail between his legs, left the room.   
"Oh, come on Anthony. It's tiny!"   
Alastor chuckled, moving a little closer towards the window, examining the small creature.

"Looks like a dock spider to me. Hm."   
Alastor quietly muttered to himself, reaching a hand out to coax the thing into his hands, closing his palms so it wouldn't escape.   
"Anthony, come look."   
He called, slowly walking towards the front door where he planned to let the arachnid out.  
"If you would be so kind as to get the key and unlock the door."

Anthony saw Alastor approaching him with his hand closed and moved away from the door, going into the lounge to keep as much distance between himself and the spider as possible.  
"No signore, io non mi intrometto! Grazie per l'offerta!"  
[No sir, I'm not coming between you two! Thanks for the offer!]  
He called as he tucked himself in between the piano and the bookshelf.

Rolling his eyes with another laugh, Alastor looked between Anthony and the front door, gesturing towards the door with his head.   
"Anthony, this door won't open itself. Unless you'd prefer I put the spider down?"   
When there was no sign of Anthony going to be moving any time soon with the spider still in the room, Alastor sighed again, about to put the thing down before he paused, a familiar chill running down his spine, the brunette stopping in his tracks and looking up. 

"Ma anche no!"  
[How about no!]  
Anthony replied to both scenarios.

"Oh... so you _are_ around after all."   
Alastor's eyes narrowed as a shadowy figure suddenly faded in, appearing before him beside the front door. It was strange. Alastor hadn't actually seen the entity since the afternoon he'd attempted to get through to it, but here it was now, coming to his assistance.

With ease, the entity trailed its hand to the doorknob, slowly turning it before the door itself swung open, a cooler breeze filling the home, the sound of pattering rain louder now.

Anthony kept his eyes glued on Alastor's closed hand, making sure the Hellspawn creature of nightmares didn't crawl out and summon more of its friends out of the seams of the walls.   
He loved and trusted Alastor more than he did anyone else, it was that sneaky little eight-legged, eight eyed freak of nature he didn't trust.  
"Sbrigati!"  
[Hurry!]  
He called, his back staying pressed against the wall so intensely that he very well might have fused to it.

Stepping straight into his shoes as he stepped out the door, Alastor walked carefully down off the porch, kneeling down to the ground that was quickly soaking up the rain. Opening his cupped palms, he then let the spider quickly run away off into the grass.

Brushing his hands off, Alastor stood with a sigh, not minding the rain that fell down upon him. He found it quite refreshing actually.   
Just as he stood though, a figure briskly walking along the road towards him caught his attention. He knew that silhouette anywhere. 

"Mama! Viens sors de la pluie!"  
[Come and get out of the rain!]   
Alastor called out in French, hoping he could be heard over the rainfall which was getting heavier by the second.   
As his mother came closer to the home, Alastor held a hand out towards her, chuckling lightly as she dashed towards him.

"Crois-moi, j'arrive!"  
[Believe me, I'm coming!]  
The woman called as she started to run, her skirt gathered in one hand and held her bag over her head with the other.

"On devrait verrouiller les fenêtres. Cela pourrait devenir violent ce soir."  
[We should lock the windows. It could get nasty tonight.]  
She said as they made it inside.  
"As-tu déjà fait quelque chose à manger?"  
[Have you prepared something to eat?]  
She proceeded to ask, glancing back at her son as he closed the door, setting her bag down against the wall, only then noticing an extra pair of shoes.  
"Oh, est-ce qu'Anthony est là?"  
[Oh, is Anthony here?]

"Mhm, oui, nous sommes ici depuis un certain temps."  
[Yes. We've been here for a while.]  
Alastor nodded, slipping off his shoes and bringing them inside for once, not wanting them to get ruined by the inevitable storm.   
"J'étais sur le point de commencer à dîner."  
[I was about to start dinner.]

Reaching up to flatten his hair a little more, Alastor huffed at the raindrops he felt in his messy hair, hoping that his mother wouldn't say too much about it.

"Anthony! Mama is here!"   
Alastor then called out to the blonde he presumed was still in the lounge, cowering away from the spider which had long gone.

Amélie walked further into the house with a smile, looking for the Italian, seeing him wedged snuggly between the piano and bookshelf.  
"Anthony, dear, if you're trying to play hide and seek, I must say you're rather bad at it."  
She laughed softly.

"È morto?"  
[Is it dead?]  
Anthony asked, looking between Amélie and Alastor.

Anthony seemed to relax again and removed himself from his little spot, brushing himself off and muttering in Italian.  
"Better wash your hands after touchin' that..."  
He said at the end of his little rant.

Amélie simply shook her head and shrugged, chuckling lightly.  
"I won't be very long."  
She said as she removed her shoes and started up the stairs to her bedroom to change.

"Why, of course I will."   
Alastor laughed, watching as his mother made her way up the stairs before he swayed into the kitchen and over to the sink, washing his hands.   
"Do you mind looking in the cupboard to see what there is?"   
He asked the blonde, presuming he was in the kitchen too.

Anthony was close behind, making sure that Alastor was actually washing his hands.  
"Are there gunna be more spiders in there? If there are, I ain't doin' nothin'."  
He stated as he leaned against the doorframe, arms folding over his chest as he looked around the room to make sure he was safe from any more little creepy crawlies.

Making his way behind the blonde, Alastor flicked some water at him with a chuckle.   
"There are no spiders in the cupboards, Anthony. Just food, as one would expect. But, there might be one living in the garde-manger. Want to find out?"   
He laughed, deciding to not translate that last one, wanting Anthony to figure that out for himself, as mildly cruel as that was.

Anthony's brows furrowed as his shoulders raised in some sort of defense as he felt the droplets of water on his neck. I would have freaked out but knew it was only Alastor being mean.  
"The what now?"  
He muttered, moving to lean against the counter.

"Garde-manger."   
Alastor repeated, grabbing a cooking pot from another one of the cupboards, looking up to the ceiling briefly as he heard his mother's footsteps above them.

Shaking his head, Alastor moved over to the other cupboard, searching through, tutting with annoyance as he noticed the cooking oil was nowhere to be seen. Of course it wasn't.

Anthony shifted slightly and noticed what Alastor was looking for, realizing what was still missing.  
"Oh, crap...! I'll run up and get that-"  
He said as he quickly made his way up the stairs, hoping Amélie was still occupied.

It was a little painful going up so quickly, but Anthony made it to Alastor's bedroom and grabbed the canister off of the nightstand and moved as quickly as he could back to the stairs, hearing Amélie's door open upstairs just as he was halfway down, luckily she went into the bathroom so he had just enough time to make it to the kitchen and put the canister on the counter.

Alastor watched Anthony in surprise as he walked both up the stairs and down again rather quickly, it no doubt hurting a little.   
"You can take a seat if you wish. I'm fine making this by myself."   
Alastor began, nodding towards Anthony.   
"Oh, and if you need anything for the pain, then the pills are up in the top cupboard."

Anthony's face became blank as he simply gave Alastor something of an unamused glare before moving over to the cupboard he pointed out.  
He was definitely going to need more painkillers if he was going to even _think_ about sitting down.

Taking a breath, he opened the cupboard, grabbed the bottle, and put two pills in his palm. He was really only supposed to take one, but he deemed himself in need of two for this.  
He put the bottle back and grabbed a glass, filled it with water, and took the pills with a sigh. It would take a few minutes to start working.

While Anthony took something to dull his pain, Alastor moved across the kitchen and towards the pantry, or garde-manger as he had teased Anthony with.   
Opening up the door, Alastor stepped in, indeed spotting the smallest of spiders that lived just above the doorframe, not harming anyone.

Just as he stepped into the pantry, he heard his mother's footsteps against the staircase, the woman coming down from having gotten changed out of her rain-soaked nurses' uniform.

Anthony finished his water and filled it again. He was in need of rehydrating since the events of that day had wiped him out.

Amélie came into the kitchen, now in a normal casual dress, humming softly as a few flashes of light flickered outside.  
"Now then, how was your day, gentlemen? What did you end up doing before the rain suddenly arrived?"  
She asked politely, a smile on her face as she moved to the pantry to help Alastor gather some things.

It had been a few days since Alastor had held a proper conversation with his mother. She had been away quite a bit with her job, and Alastor had been spending much of the past few days with Anthony.   
"Oh yes, Anthony and I had an excellent day. We spent the morning in the city and then came back here after a while."   
Keeping it relatively vague, Alastor helped his mother carry some of the ingredients out of the pantry and onto the kitchen counters, briefly looking over to Anthony.

Amélie smiled and started setting things out for the meal she now knew that Alastor had in mind.  
"That sounds lovely. Oh! That reminds me. I should check on our neighbor before the storm gets too bad. I'll bring some leftovers to him as well. Have you happened to check on him today?"  
She asked.

Anthony simply watched out the window, seeing that the rain was really pelting down now. It made him wonder though. Did Amélie know about Alastor's habits?

Alastor's eyes narrowed slightly at his mother's words, the man putting on a wider smile as he turned back towards her.   
"No, I haven't had the chance today. Say, perhaps I should bring the leftovers to him? I know he always is quite fond of my company. Besides, you've been out in the rain long enough, Mama. I won't mind running over there."

Amélie, none the wiser, smiled and gave a small nod.  
"That's awfully kind of you, dear. I would appreciate that quite a lot."  
She nodded, moving over to a cupboard to get the rice.

Anthony raised a brow at Alastor before clearing his throat and speaking.  
"So, how was your day at work, Amélie? Didn't work too hard, I hope."  
He smiled a bit, leaning against the wall just out of the way.

"Oh, it was all quite smooth actually. We have a few new midwives in training. They're such a joy to teach."  
The woman replied with a big smile.

"Sorry... what's that?"  
Anthony asked.

"A midwife? That's someone who helps deliver babies."  
Amélie nodded, smile unfaltering as she started washing the rice.

"Oh, gotcha."  
Anthony nodded, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Well, I'm glad that your day has been pleasant, Mama. It's been a few days since we've had the time to speak with each other."   
Alastor spoke, moving over to another cupboard to pull out a pot that the rice could go in.   
"Anthony, are you sure you don't want to rest in the other room? Mama and I can handle the rest."

Anthony gave a nod.  
"Alright, sure."  
He smiled a little, heading towards the lounge before Amélie called out. 

"Would you be so kind as to making sure the windows are all locked? Just to be safe."  
She requested. 

"'Course."  
Anthony smiled, making his way to the lounge and made sure all of the windows there were shut properly and locked before attempting to sit down. It wasn't the most pleasant thing in the world but the painkillers really did help, so he sat watching the rain and lighting with the rumbling of thunder all happening outside while Alastor and his mother made the meal.

For the next little while, Amélie and Alastor worked on getting everything prepared for the dinner. It wasn't until everything was more or less cooking that Amélie said that Alastor could leave her to it. With a nod, He quietly left the kitchen and made his way into the lounge, spotting Anthony sitting by the window, the rain almost blinding outside now.

"Hey."  
Alastor smiled, moving around to take a seat beside his lover.   
"Food should be ready soon. I haven't mentioned to Mama that you'll be staying the night, but I'm sure with the storm and all, she's gathered that."

Anthony looked to Alastor as he made his appearance, his right leg bouncing rapidly as he watched the storm continue.  
Sitting up a bit, the blonde gave a small smile and nodded.  
"Alright."  
He said, voice just above a whisper even over the thunder. The storm wasn't even right over them just yet, the sound still taking a few seconds to reach them after lightning struck.

Noticing Anthony's quietness, Alastor slowly looked over to the window, sighing softly. He had a pretty good idea as to why Anthony's leg was bouncing and why every time there was a crack of thunder, the blonde's visible anxiety seemed to rise.

Briefly looking behind him, his mother nowhere to be seen, Alastor scooted up on the couch, taking Anthony's hand and leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to the blonde's forehead.   
"I'm here. The storm will pass."   
He whispered softly.

Anthony smiled softly and leaned into the affection, squeezing Alastor's hand tightly with his eyes closing.   
"Grazie..."  
He sighed.

Amélie stood just out of their line of vision. She had the intention of asking them a question but stopped and ducked out of the way as she saw her son place the kiss to Anthony's forehead and holding his hand.   
There was no doubt in her mind now. She thought the night she found them sleeping was just an accident on their part, but now...

Moving back into the kitchen, Amélie continued as she was while processing everything. They were ill and in danger because of it. She knew what treatments they would be subjected to if they were found out. Not to mention their reputations would be ruined if word was to spread.

Alastor, none the wiser, continued to show his affections towards his lover, gently squeezing the other's hand in a reassuring manner.   
"The storms only usually last a night. After that, I can't imagine there will be another during your stay."   
Giving Anthony's hand one more squeeze, Alastor slowly and reluctantly stood up, looking to the kitchen.   
"I'll set the table. You just relax."

Anthony nodded with a faint smile, really appreciating Alastor's concern and efforts.

Amélie heard Alastor making his way back to the kitchen but was so caught up in her processing and cooking that she didn't acknowledge him, instead, remaining silent as she began to fill the bowls with rice and topped it with gumbo.

Humming a tune to himself as he walked back into the kitchen, Alastor moved over to the cutlery drawer, sneaking a peek at the gumbo.   
"Hmm, looks delicious Mama."   
Alastor smiled, grabbing all the cutlery needed before he left the kitchen and walked into the dining room, setting the table for the three of them.

Again, Amélie was silent but only for a few moments before turning to Alastor.  
"Va chercher Anthony. Il y a quelque chose d'important dont nous devons parler."  
[Go and get Anthony. There's something important we have to discuss.]  
She said in a soft tone that held a mix of emotions as she brought the three bowls to the table.   
She really didn't know how to confront them about this, but it was important that she did.

Alastor didn't question his mother's words, thinking nothing of it as he simply nodded in response, leaving the dining room to fetch Anthony in the lounge.

"Okay, dinners ready."   
Alastor smiled, extending a hand out for Anthony to help him stand up.   
"It smells quite delicious. There's nothing like gumbo on a stormy day."

Anthony smiled softly and carefully stood, leaning up to place a kiss to Alastor's cheek.   
"Ti amo."  
He whispered before pulling away so they could go to the dining room without being obvious.

Amélie was now setting glasses of water down on the table before tabling a seat, silently keeping her eyes on the table as the two men took a seat.

Alastor took his usual seat opposite his mother, Anthony slowly taking a seat beside him.   
"Why, this looks excellent, Mama."   
Alastor continued to smile, taking a sip of his water as he slowly observed the woman, brow raising as he noted her continued silence. Odd.   
"And all is well I trust? You say your day at work was a delight?"

Amélie gave a small smile and nodded.  
"Yes, it went well. Eat before it gets cold."  
She replied curtly, picking up her spoon and mixed her bowl together.

Anthony did the same as he was told to. He could sense something was a little off. Amélie seemed quite happy when she came in and started cooking, but now, something had changed.

The woman knew she needed to address what she had witnessed, but she wasn't sure how to, so she divided that she would wait until after the meal so that they could enjoy it properly.

The three of them ate in near silence all throughout the meal, leaving Alastor quite confused. His mother really had been in such a good mood, but her sudden silence said otherwise now. It puzzled him to no end, wondering if it was perhaps something their either he or Anthony had said.

When they had all finished, Alastor offered to take their plates into the kitchen, looking up and across at his mother.

Amélie shook her head.  
"That can wait a few more moments. There's something important we need to discuss first."  
She stated, eyes still on the table.

Anthony looked to Alastor, doing his best not to flinch as another crack of thunder rolled over the house. The storm was one thing, but seeing Amélie like this made him all the more anxious.

Alastor paused with a slow nod, brows knitting together in a slight frown.   
"Is... everything alright, Mama? If this is something that needs to be discussed with just me then I'm sure Anthony is more than happy to wait in the other room?"

"No, it must be discussed with the both of you because I care about Anthony just as much as I care about you, Alastor."  
Amélie replied, finding her thoughts and trying to figure out where to begin.  
"I'm sure you both understand that-"  
She stopped herself, her eyes closing in order to fight tears that came to her eyes. She needed to stay strong through this.

Anthony only became more worried, reaching out slowly and putting a hand on Amélie's shoulder.  
"Amélie, whatever it is, y' know y' can tell us. Is someone hurtin' ya?"  
He asked cautiously.

The woman's eyes opened again and she looked to Anthony, seeing the concern in his eyes. She couldn't help but smile softly, appreciating the concern in the first place. She took the blonde's hand and then reached for her son as well.

Alastor's concern was quickly growing as his mother spoke, still not telling the two of them exactly what was wrong.

"No, no one is hurting me. It's you two that I'm worried will end up hurt... because of your illness."  
She explained.

It was then that Alastor felt his stomach drop. She needn't say anything more. Alastor had already heard everything he'd needed to hear, but the question that now stood was... how did she find out? Alastor was sure he and Anthony had been more or less careful.

"Mama..."   
Alastor sighed with a shake of his head, taking his mother's hand and squeezing it carefully. This was what he had feared deep down. Yet at the same time, he knew what her views were on such things.   
"Mama... you have to understand. Anthony and I... we are by no means sick."   
He wasn't going to deny it, his mother was smarter than believing that, but he truly did want her to understand. He could hear her concern and had no doubt that her intentions were good.

Anthony was just becoming more and more scared, worried about what Amélie had to say or what she was going to do; but he remained seated regardless. She didn't seem livid, so he could only assume they were safe... for now.

Amélie shook her head, looking between the two men in front of her.  
"Alastor, the medical and psychological fields say it is. I can not argue with my own profession."  
She sighed.  
"I have seen firsthand what doctors are doing in hopes of curing homosexuality, and I don't want either of you to have to go through it. As far as I am aware, there is no permanent cure."  
She continued, squeezing both of their hands.   
"Understand that you need to be careful. You are safe in this house. I don't want either of you to be put into testing and experiments. They're all horrific. Your reputations are at stake as well."  
A tear rolled down Amélie's cheek as she explained all of this. She didn't want her baby to be sick, but if this was how it was, she wasn't going to put him through the horrific treatments.

Alastor listened carefully to what his mother had to say, noticing by her tone that she was increasingly getting more and more upset.

Anthony paused for a moment, more or less glad that she wasn't going to hurt him or Alastor. He then stood and moved to stand beside her chair.  
"Stand up for me, Amélie. Please."  
He said softly.

The woman looked up at the blonde man and wiped the tear from her cheek, standing from her seat slowly.

Anthony silently brought his arms around her in a firm yet gentle embrace.   
He didn't have a mother figure in his life and Amélie was the closest thing he had to one even though she wasn't an active figure in his life, but he was grateful that he didn't lose her over this.

Amélie slowly hugged back, not exactly expecting such a reaction.

When both Anthony and Amélie stood, Alastor did too, reaching out slowly to place a hand to his mother's shoulder while Anthony kindly embraced her.

"It's not conventional for any of us, Mama. And I would like to apologize that this is not perhaps what you had expected of me, but it cannot be helped. As you said yourself, there is no permanent cure."  
Slowly letting his hand fall from his mother's shoulder, Alastor took a step back.   
"Anthony and I are being as careful as we can. I don't want anything happening to us either. I understand the consequences."

Anthony took a breath and released the hug with a small sigh, taking a step back to be beside Alastor but with a respectable distance between them.  
He nodded, agreeing with everything that Alastor had said.

The woman gave a small smile and shook her head.  
"This just means that... I'm not going to have any grandchildren after all."  
She said softly, almost trying to lighten the mood a little. As long as her son was safe and happy, she didn't care about anything else.

The corners of Anthony's mouth pulled up into a bit of a saddened smile, shaking his head a little.  
"I uh..."  
He stopped himself, not wanting to make any promises or speak for Alastor himself. He couldn't see the future.  
"...I don't think so. I'm sorry."

"Mama, you know I have a distaste for children regardless."   
Alastor thought he'd add with a small chuckle, taking a step forwards towards the table again, this time gathering up their bowls.

The atmosphere was still quite quiet, but it was a little less tense now. Even more so now that Amélie knew both Alastor and Anthony's secret. The secret which they'd been hiding amongst themselves for years now.

"I will clear away the dishes. You two sit down and relax."

Anthony gave a nod and reached for Amélie, guiding her into the lounge. He wasn't paying any mind to the storm that was still very much alive outside, this being his full focus right now.  
The two of them sat down and Anthony kept his eyes on the floor. 

"I'm sorry that... this happened... I didn't expect it when I came here either. Guess we're all surprised..."  
He sighed, slumping back into his seat. He really did feel bad about all of this. He didn't mean to come to this city and ruin Amélie's vision of her son. 

"No, it's nothing to apologize for, Anthony."  
The woman spoke.  
"I'm glad that he chose you. You may not be a woman, but he clearly loves you very much. He's never tolerated anyone and to look back and see that the two of you have been calling and writing to each other for near two years, well, that should have been indication enough."

She gave a smile, one that was clearly genuine. There was nothing hidden behind it, which Anthony appreciated.

Alastor was swift in clearing away all of the dishes and cleaning the pots, the man deep in thought as he put everything back in its place in the kitchen.   
Before he joined the others in the lounge though, the man simply took a moment to think. Standing with his back to the kitchen counter, he let his eyes close, focusing on the loud sound of rain hitting the thin kitchen windows. This certainly had been a day.

A few minutes later and Alastor was making his way into the lounge, regular wide smile upon his face as he took a seat, looking between his mother and Anthony.

"Thank you for that, Alastor."  
Amélie smiled with a small nod.  
"I do have one question for the two of you though."  
She spoke softly.  
"I don't mean to pry by any means, but I was wondering when the two of you... got together? Officially, I mean. Was it before you left the first time or when you returned?"  
She asked, referring to their relationship, looking to Anthony. She wasn't even sure if they were really in a relationship, but could only assume considering the time and effort they were putting into each other despite the distance.

Anthony raised a brow and then looked at Alastor.  
"I... think that's a question for him t' answer..."  
The blonde said with a bit of a nod.

Slowly leaning back with another small sigh, Alastor crossed a leg, looking between the two once again.   
"Given the time apart, and all the letters that were sent in between, I don't believe there was ever a specific day that we made it 'official', per se."   
It was odd speaking about this for one, but even more strange to be speaking about this in front of his mother of all people.   
"It was something that happened gradually over the years, my fondness growing for Anthony after our time together in 1921, and when Anthony returned just days ago, we were simply together. I informed him that my feelings were not short-lived and were something much more permanent, his were the same, and from there we simply carried on what had started two years ago."

Amélie nodded along, starting to get the picture and understanding.  
"I see."  
She murmured then smiled softly.  
"Well, as I said to Anthony, I'm glad you chose him. He's a very well-mannered young man."

Anthony gave a bit of a smile and a small nod.  
"I'm glad he chose me too."  
Of course, he resisted the urge to take Alastor's hand, not wanting to make Amélie uncomfortable by displaying even a small hint of affection in front of her. Rosie was a different case, seeing as she already knew and seemed to support them regardless of medical and psychological beliefs; not caring about what society had to say either.

Alastor too nodded, looking over at Anthony with a small smile.   
"When did you know?"   
He slowly asked, looking over to Amélie once again. Presuming it was some time that evening, given her sudden change in mood earlier; he also wanted to know if there had been any other times where his mother had perhaps suspected, but not said anything.

Amélie shifted in her seat a little.  
"My... first clear clue was an accident. I came home from work the other evening and went upstairs to gather laundry. I didn't see either of your shoes so I assumed you weren't home. I walked in on the two of you asleep together."  
She explained.

Anthony immediately turned to Alastor and swatted his arm.  
"I _told_ you!"

Alastor tiredly let his head momentarily rest in his palms as he shook his head, mentally scolding both himself as his shadow for being the one to hide their shoes, meaning Amélie didn't know that they were actually home that evening.   
"Well, what's done is done. I apologize you saw that as well and that it confused you."

Amélie shook her head and gave a small chuckle.  
"As you've said. What's done is done. Just... please be careful. Both of you can get in a lot of trouble, if not killed."  
She stated.  
"I don't care what you do in this house as long as you're safe and not presenting out in public."

Anthony slowly nodded, glancing at Alastor as he leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees.   
"We'll definitely be careful. Don't worry."

Alastor gave his mother another firm nod, knowing that in terms of homosexuality, he and Anthony wouldn't be accepted. It was only by some sort of miracle that both Rosie and thankfully Amélie herself, accepted them- even if Amélie was still coming around to the idea of it all.

"We've been safe thus far, and I don't believe that anyone outside of this house suspects anything. They have no reason to."

Amélie gave a nod before taking a breath.  
"Good. Now, you should take this time to go and see our friend across the street. I'll be getting ready to retire for the evening. I have work early in the morning."  
She said as she stood.

"Ah yes... I'll make sure to give him your best wishes in his recovery."   
Alastor smiled, standing soon after.

While Alastor paid their neighbor a little visit, Anthony stayed at home in the meantime, and Amélie went to bed.   
Overall, Alastor was only away for just under an hour or so, not taking his time, but also making sure the trip across the street was worth it by all means- which it was. It was always worth it.

It was dark when Alastor returned, stepping out of his shoes and ruffling up his hair to get any rain out as he walked into his home, looking around for Anthony who he presumed was still awake and downstairs.

As the storm continued to rage on, Anthony's mind started to only focus on that now that Amélie had gone up to bed and his mind was at ease in terms of her thoughts on the relationship between him and her son.

The storm was almost nonexistent in his mind up until about five minutes after he was left alone, opting to stay where he was. He didn't want to intrude on Alastor's business nor did he want to go outside.

When Alastor happened to return, Anthony had curled up into a tight ball on the couch, holding his hands down over his ears.   
He really couldn't handle such sudden loud noises. It always reminded him of his father's loud and booming voice.

The storm was no doubt full force when Alastor returned, the lightning and thunder crackling just above the house now.   
With his jacket hung up, Alastor slowly moved into the lounge, looking around for any sign of Anthony.   
When he didn't immediately see him, he was about to turn out of the lounge and look for him elsewhere, however his gaze was suddenly caught by a figure huddled on one of the couches.

"Oh..."   
Alastor whispered to himself, slowly making his way over, deciding to announce himself first.  
"Anthony darling, is everything alright?"   
He called out softly, taking a seat on the arm of the couch, slowly reaching out for the blonde.

Anthony just barely heard the soft voice, jolting a little as his head whipped towards the man with wide tear-filled eyes. He felt stupid for being so weak to noises that couldn't physically hurt him.

Just as a streak of lightning flashed just outside of the house, the thunder erupted and crashed instantly, sending the poor quivering heap straight into Alastor's arms with no hesitation.

"Hey hey hey-"   
Alastor hushed, tightly embracing Anthony as he practically dove into his arms, the brunette wrapping his arms tightly around the blonde, letting his chin rest on top of Anthony's head that was buried in his chest now.   
"I know it sounds loud... but this is the worst of it. After, it won't be as bad. I promise."

With Anthony's face buried in the man's chest and arms wrapped around him, he let a few jumpy breaths escape him as he clung tightly to the man's shirt.  
He was glad that he had Alastor there now, always reminding him how safe he was here.

Alastor let a hand rest against Anthony's back, gently rubbing in small soothing circles as he simply held his lover for a while.

A few minutes passed before Alastor slowly looked up and around the room, noticing that everything was dark. The power had most likely cut out not too long ago.

As time continued, Anthony became a little more relaxed; of course, tensed again when thunder sounded, but not nearly as much as he would have had he been alone.   
Taking the man's scent in a few more times, Anthony slowly pulled away.   
"Y' wanna get a little more comfortable...?"  
He asked, wanting to make sure that Alastor was comfortable too. If he was fine, he could bet that he'd dive right back in and stay there for the rest of the night.

Nodding slightly, Alastor slid down from the arm of the couch onto the main seat of it, sitting so he was laying across the entire thing before looking up at Anthony.   
"Alright."   
He then smiled, leaving enough room for Anthony to join him.

The blonde smiled softly at the sweetness of the gesture, laying down and snuggling right into the man's arms with his face on his chest again.   
"I love you, Al."  
He said, voice muffled from being so cozy and safe. His words were still completely and utterly true. He was actually so relaxed that he started to drift off to sleep. It had been one hell of a day and even though he had a nap earlier, Anthony was still wiped out.


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Mentions of abuse~

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Saturday, August 4th, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

The next morning soon came around, and all signs of the storm that had continued on well into the night had gone; apart from the minor damage that it had done to the landscape around the city and outer areas, of course.

During the night, after having initially fallen asleep with Anthony on the couch, Alastor had awoken and carried his sleeping lover upstairs to his room and to bed. Luckily, the blonde had gone completely undisturbed as he was moved, clinging to the man through it all.

So, it was in the early hours with the morning sun's rays peeking through the curtains, that Alastor found himself quietly waking in his bed, looking down at Anthony who slept soundly in his arms.   
Sighing softly, he simply let his eyes close again, not sure if he was quite ready to rise just yet. He was quite comfortable as he was, lover laying sleeping soundly under the warmth of the covers, the sun slowly lightening the room.

It was around seven in the morning that Anthony was woken by the sound of presumably Amélie getting ready to leave for work. His brows furrowed at the sound of footsteps in the hall and going down the stairs, giving a soft groan. The sun had been up for about a half an hour and as it shone in through the curtains, it seemed to help draw the blonde out of his slumber; becoming more aware of the slowly rising and falling chest his cheek was laid upon and the beating heart he was able to hear.

A small smile started to pull at the corners of his mouth, recognizing the scent the moment he deeply inhaled and the strong arms that held him.

Alastor, when Anthony awoke, was half asleep and half awake it seemed, drifting in and out of both states as he relaxed. So used to the sound of his mother leaving early for work, the noise didn't bother him in the slightest, the man lying still until he felt Anthony stirring gently from in his hold. He had to admit, he quite liked waking up to having Anthony in his arms like this- it was something he could certainly get used to.

Staying silent regardless, eyes still very much closed, Alastor tilted his head just slightly, pressing the smallest of kisses to Anthony's head, not sure whether he was actually awake or not.

Anthony's smile grew at the kiss, giving Alastor a slow kiss to his chest in return paired with a hum.  
"Mornin'..."  
He muttered with a sigh, hearing the front door closing shortly after. His eyes slowly opened and he tilted his head up so he could properly look at the man.

Alastor's eyes seemed to open at the same time that Anthony's did, the brunette huffing out a small laugh as he looked down to see tired green eyes gazing up at him.   
"Mornin' to you too."   
He grinned, imitating the way that his lover had said 'morning' this time.   
"Looks to be an excellent day out there. Sun and all."

Anthony smiled and leaned up, pressing a kiss to Alastor's lips quickly.   
"You're all the sunshine I need in my life."  
He said. That might not have made complete sense but he was still waking up and just saying whatever came to mind. He then relaxed against Alastor's chest again with a sigh.

Alastor couldn't help the chuckle that left his lips at that.   
"That's awfully sweet, Anthony darling; but also a bit corny."   
He laughed, shaking his head with a smile.   
"But I appreciate it regardless."

"Damn right."  
The blonde replied, nuzzling his cheek into Alastor's chest before placing another kiss there.  
"What time is it?"  
He asked after a few moments of silence.

Alastor didn't know the exact time, but judging by the fact that his mother had left the house just minutes ago...  
"I'd say it's just after seven. Maybe just before."   
He nodded, fingers loosely running through Anthony's hair.   
"Do you have any plans for today? Anything you need to do?"

Anthony shook his head before speaking.  
"I'm doin' everythin' I had planned right now."  
He sighed, a content smile forming. He didn't even know why he asked for the time in the first place.   
The carnival started on Thursday and Molly's dresses wouldn't be ready until then either. Everything else was up in the air and there was no rush to complete anything.

Nodding slowly, Alastor sighed.  
"Hah, well then that's perfect."   
He smiled, knowing that most of the events they had planned were for Thursday.

Anthony took a deep breath as he was pulled further into consciousness, his eyes opening as he looked up at Alastor again, simply watching him.   
After a few moments, he brought a hand up and brushed his fingertips against his cheek carefully and lovingly.   
"So handsome..."  
He hummed.

Alastor smiled gently, leaning into Anthony's touch.   
"You really do flatter me, Anthony."   
He laughed.  
"But you are even more so, your wonderful dimples especially. Beautiful."

Anthony pursed his lips and gave a small huff, bringing both hands up to cover his own cheeks now.  
"I dunno what dimples you're talkin' about. I ain't got any."  
He finished that statement by sticking his tongue out and buried his face in Alastor's chest once again.

Smile slowly turning smug, Alastor let out a sigh again, however this one was a little more comically dramatic.   
"Well then, if you don't have any dimples, then I guess you're not my Anthony. My Anthony who has the brightest and most stunning dimpled cheeks. Whenever you smile, it's an absolute joy!"

Anthony shifted slightly and slowly sat up, hands dropping from his cheeks as they raised up over his head to stretch his arms.  
"Maybe you've just been hallucinating them this whole time?"  
He suggested.

As much as he didn't want to admit it, Alastor's love for his insecurities made him a little less insecure about them.

Humming in thought for a moment, Alastor eventually shook his head, smirk still wide.   
"Hm, no I don't think so. I remember your dimples very vividly. They're certainly no hallucination."  
He grinned, falling quiet for a moment before speaking once again.  
"Are you the only one in your family with them? Or is it a trait that everyone possesses?"

Anthony lowered his arms, shaking his head.  
"Just me. Got 'em from my mother..."  
He replied.  
"If Molly got 'em, she'd look just like her. When I get home, I'll see if we've got an extra family photo layin' around for me t' send over so you can see."

With Anthony's arms lowered, Alastor slowly reached out for one of the blonde's cheeks, cupping it gently and letting his thumb rub against the dimple there.   
"That would be wonderful."   
He smiled, taking a moment to gaze into Anthony's eyes.   
"How is your sister? I know she called you yesterday to tell you she made a friend. Hopefully, this one is a little more reliable than the last you spoke about."

Anthony smiled and leaned into Alastor's hand, meeting his gaze with a fond look.  
"She's good. Gunna have t' go over to our brother's place for a while 'cause pops has some business t' get to somewhere."  
He sighed, his eyes starting to wander Alastor's features.  
"She says the whole thing with him throwin' guys at her is worse now that I ain't around but she's got her friend t' lean on. Just hope her friend can take her out and away from Gio's wife."  
He chuckled with a shake of his head.  
"The pregnancy's got her even worse than she was b'fore."

Alastor slowly nodded, quietly admiring Anthony as he spoke about his family, the way his features softened when mentioning his sister.   
"Well, at least she won't be alone while you're away. I presume that was one of your worries when leaving for here?"   
He inquired slightly, head tilting a bit, eyebrow raising.   
"I hope your sister overcomes any unpleasant scenarios that your father throws at her, regardless. I can't imagine the difficulty." 

It was odd, Alastor some what sympathizing with someone, but that someone meant something to Anthony, and Anthony meant the world to Alastor.

The blonde smiled a little more and nodded.  
"I know she'll be fine. Dad wouldn't let anythin' happen to her let alone be the cause. Doesn't mean I ain't gunna worry though."  
He chuckled lightly before leaning back down to lay on the man, pressing his lips against his neck and jawline.  
Anthony really couldn't get enough.

As Anthony lightly kissed at both his neck and jawline, Alastor couldn't help but laugh gently, eyes closing again.  
"Your chin is quite scratchy, my dear."   
He continued to laugh, feeling the blonde's light stubble whenever he kissed.   
"Perhaps you will have to return to your hotel room today after all."

Anthony pulled away quickly and felt his face. It really was scratchy and prickly.  
"Ah, damn... I should probably go change my clothes while I'm there too, huh?"  
While he didn't have to shave every single day, it was still an annoyance, especially when it was taking time away from Alastor.  
"Should we go get that over with now then?"  
He asked. The sooner the better, he supposed.

"Hm, yes. That probably would be best."   
Alastor nodded, slowly sitting up onto his elbows with a groan.   
"I'm sure the streetcar will be running. I can't imagine that the storm did too much damage- it was quite mild in comparison to some storms around here."

Anthony raised a brow.  
"That was _mild_? Geez, I don't wanna know..."  
He said as he started moving to the edge of the bed. He then looked to Alastor with a bit of a smile.  
"Hey uh... thanks for last night..."

Alastor paused, smile widening.   
"Oh, it's really no trouble at all my dear. Anything for you."   
He chuckled, moving to the edge of the bed beside Anthony just as he did too.   
"How are you feeling today in terms of pain?"

Anthony huffed a tiny laugh and nodded.  
"I think I'm alright. Ain't feelin' anythin' bad just yet. Maybe I ain't awake enough t' notice."  
He shrugged, leaning over to place a kiss to Alastor's cheek before standing up. He was definitely stiff from the waist down, earning a bit of a grunt as he started to shift a little and move his legs around.

Laughing as Anthony stood, Alastor followed after him, making sure that the other wasn't unsteady on his feet or anything.   
"I'll quickly freshen up and then we can get going."   
Alastor nodded, stretching his arms and back out once he was stood, yawning.

Anthony smiled a little and nodded.  
"No rush, amore."  
He sighed, starting to head for the door when another thought popped into his head.  
"How do ya think your mom actually feels about us? You know her better than I do, so I'm just wonderin'."

Alastor stopped, looking to the side in thought for a moment.   
"It's hard to say, but I know she undoubtedly wants what's best."   
He began, reaching for the door of his room and opening it.   
"She will take a moment to let it sink in properly, but when it has, she will talk to me more about it then. It's not something she expected, I'll give her that."

Amélie may not have been very active in Anthony's day to day life, but she was the closest he had to a mother figure in his life in a very long time. Even though they weren't very close, he really did look up to her and didn't want to disappoint her even if it wasn't him she was disappointed in.   
This definitely was going to impact Amélie and Alastor's relationship, whether it would be in a good way or a bad way, Anthony wasn't sure.

Giving a small nod, the Italian sighed.  
"Well, I just hope nothin' bad comes of this."  
He said softly as they left the room and started heading down the stairs.

Before he headed down the stairs himself, Alastor quickly went to the bathroom to freshen himself up. He made sure not to take too long, and soon enough he was making his way down the stairs to Anthony who was waiting in the hallway.   
"All ready to go?"   
He asked, straightening out his tie and flattening his hair a little before heading the front door.

As soon as Anthony saw his lover, his head tilted and a fond smile came up to his features and pulled his hands out of his pockets.

"I'm one lucky man."  
He said softly, reaching out and turning Alastor's face a little to make sure any marks he had left the day before were well hidden.  
"Good."  
He nodded before he opened the door, stepped out, and put his shoes on.

Alastor smiled, offering Anthony a firm nod before he stepped out too, reaching down to tie his own shoes before standing and closing the door behind him.   
As they walked off the porch and down onto the street, Alastor reached into his pocket for his cigarette box, however when he opened it, it was unfortunately empty, prompting him to roll his eyes. He'd make a note to buy some more later on when in the center of the French Quarter.

Anthony reached into his own pocket, pulling out his own case and opened it, offering a cigarette to the man. 

Nodding again, Alastor took the cigarette with a small thank you, lighting it up with a long sigh as they continued on their way.

There wasn't much debris, just some sticks and leaves scattered around, a few larger branches too, but nothing too destructive. The ride back to the French Quarter was rather quiet, people on the streets cleaning up anything that had fallen from the trees or blew away in the storm. It was still early in the morning, nearing eight o'clock, so naturally, there wouldn't be nearly as many people as there would be later in the day.

When the streetcar arrived at their stop, Alastor and Anthony stepped off the transport along with a few others, the brunette looking to the blonde.  
"I'm not sure if it's a good idea for me to follow you up to your room."   
Alastor spoke as they approached the entrance of the Hotel.   
"We don't want any... inconvenient complaints being thrown our way again."

Anthony looked up at the man and gave a nod.  
"I shouldn't be very long anyway. Just wait in the lobby and I'll be quick."  
He said as they started walking. The other day wasn't ideal by any means and really threw Anthony off. He was sure it disturbed Alastor as well.

"Alright. Take as long as you need to. I'm fine with waiting."   
Holding the door open for the Italian, Alastor made sure to avoid the front desk of the hotel, walking off to the left to take a seat while he waited for Anthony.

Anthony nodded and was about to head up when he was called over to the desk.  
"Mr. Ragnatela, your father requested that you call him at your earliest convenience."  
The man said with his chin raised. 

Anthony raised a brow, stopping in his tracks.  
"Did he say anythin' else?" 

"No, sir."  
The receptionist replied before continuing with whatever it was he was doing in his book.

Anthony gave a bit of a nod, thanking the man before heading up to his room again.   
As soon as he was in the room, he figured he would get the call with his father done before getting ready. 

"Ragnatela."  
The stern voice eventually answered from the other end. 

"Dad, it's Tony. Ya wanted me t' call?"  
Anthony replied, keeping his head held high as if they were in the same room. 

"Ya went out for the night or somethin'?" 

"There was a storm last night and I was out when it hit, so I stayed somewhere else while the streetcars were down."  
The blonde explained. 

"Alright, well, I got a call yesterday. The hotel ain't happy with ya, boy. Sayin' somethin' about 'suspicious behavior' with some other man."  
Henry spoke, his voice clearly filled with annoyance with the topic.  
"What're ya doin' down there t' make people think you're a pansy, huh?" 

Anthony took a breath and shook his head.  
"A friend and I were just talkin' in my room while I was gettin' ready for a day out with him. That's all, sir." 

"They called and asked what I thought of the situation and asked if they should kick your ass t' the street, Angel. I told 'em y' ain't sick like that. I know my own son wouldn't do nothin' like that."

Anthony's heart dropped a little, his head lowering slightly.   
"No sir, I ain't like that." 

"Good. Now keep all that in mind 'cause they ain't happy. I ain't happy either, gettin' a call like that."

"'Course. Thank you for talkin' to them about it for me. I won't take that for granted."   
Anthony nodded.

"Good. Now I have some business to get to. Behave yourself, wouldja? I'm busy with my boys gone."

"Yes sir. Can I ask how Maria is?"   
Anthony decided to ask while he had his father's attention. 

"Troublesome. She ain't listenin' and she went and did somethin' real stupid. She went out and got her hair cut short. I dunno what possessed her t' do such a thing but I ain't happy. Makes her look like a boy." 

Anthony's brows knitted together.   
"She cut her hair? God... well, it's hair, pops. It'll grow back." 

"It'll take years for that, Tony!"   
Henry sighed.   
"No matter. Go enjoy the rest of your time and stay outta trouble!" 

"Yes sir. Talk soon."   
Anthony replied, listening to the line going dead before putting the receiver back and continued with his task. He showered, shaved, and put fresh clothes on before heading back down to meet Alastor, giving a small nod to the receptionist before joining his secret lover.

In the half an hour or so that Alastor was waiting, he'd actually left the hotel briefly and headed to the nearest store to buy some more cigarettes. He knew that Anthony wouldn't be too quick, so he soon returned to the hotel with full confidence that Anthony hadn't arrived yet; and he was right.   
Ten minutes later, however, and the blonde was seen rounding the corner from the stairwell, walking back out to the lobby.   
Standing as he arrived, Alastor shot a small glance in the receptionist's direction, eyes slightly narrowed, before the two men swiftly left the building.

Anthony gave a bit of a smile as they walked, waiting a bit to talk.  
"Molly's in trouble with dad. She cut all her hair off apparently and he says she looks like a boy."  
He sighed. He figured it would be best to wait to share the main conversation had for when it was just the two of them.

Alastor raised a brow at that, chuckling a little.   
"Oh, well that's quite something. Did your sister phone your room?"   
He asked, presuming that she did so.

Anthony shook his head.  
"Dad called the hotel yesterday and asked for me t' call back when I could... we'll have t' talk about that more when we're alone."  
He said in a hushed voice, talking a look around.

It was a bit of a surprise to know that Anthony's father had phoned, there of course being a reason behind it no doubt. That made Alastor all the more curious, especially when the blonde mentioned needing to speak in private.

"So, ah... what's the plan for t'day, Smiles?"  
He asked, deciding to change the subject for now.

On the flip side and in terms of their plans for the day- Alastor hummed in thought a moment, glancing up towards the sun that shone warmly in the sky. 

Despite the still early time, it was already quite warm, and knowing New Orleans, it was only going to get warmer as the day went on.   
As he'd mentioned before, Alastor could usually stand the heat, sometimes even enjoyed it when most people didn't, but given the temperature and the time of day presently, he could vouch for it being a much warmer day than usual. 

"Why, I think I have quite an excellent idea, if you're up for it, of course."   
He began, smile widening as he brought his gaze back towards Anthony.   
"Ever been swimming before?"  
  


The two men found themselves at a swimming hole that Alastor had mentioned only a few locals knew about, so they would be safe to swim in their shorts if they chose to.   
The place was quite a way away from Anthony's hotel, the two of them had to hop back onto the streetcar again, however in a different direction than what they usually went to get to Alastor's home. 

While Anthony had never had the opportunity to go swimming, he thought this might be a fun experience. He didn't own a swimsuit and Alastor, not being one to swim often, didn't own a fitting swimsuit. It was years old and wasn't on him to begin with, so swimming in their shorts would have to do. It was getting hotter by the minute and because of the rain that fell the night before, it was getting humid, so the idea to swim was definitely a good one.

As soon as they arrived, Anthony looked around, seeing that no one was around.  
"So, there ain't any swamp cats in here, are there?"  
He asked sheepishly.

"Swamp cats in here? No no no, of course not! Perhaps the occasional bug, possibly a few small fish, but nothing more."   
Alastor laughed, noticing Anthony's uncertainty as they stepped through a clearing in the low hanging trees, the swimming hole void of any people around at all, or at least the few people that knew about it.   
The water was quite clear, given that there was no marsh or swamp around, and the few rocks that surrounded it gave a great perch when you were in the water, the low hanging trees an even better shade.

Anthony gave a bit of a nod as they soon stopped on the water's edge. The scene was really quite calming and pleasing to the eye. He looked out at the water and smiled a bit before crouching down and dipping his fingers in.

"This is gunna be nice."  
He sighed, the water nice and cool.

Sitting down beside where Anthony crouched, Alastor too decided to test the waters, nodding.  
"Most certainly if it's going to be getting undoubtedly warmer throughout the day."   
He smiled, taking off his jacket and laying it on the grass.  
"I don't believe the water is too deep, under the presumption that you can't swim, but it's nice enough to relax in."

"I can... keep my head above water. Nothin' impressive though."

Anthony replied as he looked up again for a moment, then started taking his suspenders off.  
"Well, I dunno what we're waitin' for, but I'm gunna melt if we wait any longer."  
He sighed, starting on the buttons of his shirt next as he stood.

Alastor didn't wait any longer, the cool water looking too tempting as he began to unbutton his shirt and tie as well, kicking off his shoes and socks soon after.   
"It's been quite a long while since I last came here."   
He spoke with a smile, neatly folding his clothing and laying them down on the grass.

Anthony put his clothes with Alastor's, stripping down to his shorts, the sun was hot on his back which had him realize he probably should have brought some sunblock along.  
He took another look around and listened for anyone that might have been nearby, but only heard the gentle breeze blowing through the leaves of the surrounding trees. He didn't want anyone seeing him so unpresentable, especially with his scars.

Re-folding some of Anthony's clothing as it was placed down beside his own, making it a little nearer, soon enough Alastor was down to his shorts too.   
Running a hand through his hair, he then looked to Anthony as he glanced around.   
"Don't worry about anyone seeing us. No one comes around here."   
The man explained, taking a moment to admire what he could see of his lover.   
"There aren't any houses near, and you know how long it took us to walk here from the streetcar."

Anthony looked at Alastor and gave a small nod.  
"Alright. Let's go then."  
He smiled as he started making his way back towards the water's edge, taking a moment to just dip his toes first. 

Alastor quietly watched Anthony from behind as he moved closer and stepped into the water, the brunette's brows furrowing slightly.

A shiver ran up the blonde's spine at the coolness of it but it was nice. He stepped into the water, submerging both feet with a content sigh, and looked back at Alastor again.  
"Gunna just stand there and watch or are ya comin'?"

"Hey, Anthony?" 

Alastor slowly asked, taking the few steps to the waterside and stepping in as well.   
"Those marks on your back... I noticed them yesterday but given that there wasn't much light, I couldn't see them properly."   
He explained, reaching a slow hand out for Anthony's back where once angry looking and raised skin now formed prominent scars.   
"If I may, what happened? This was a while ago, I trust."

Anthony's brows raised slightly as he watched Alastor come closer and reach out for him, then tried to look back at himself with his smile faltering slightly.  
"Oh, um..."

Up until this point, Anthony had made sure to never have his back to Alastor without something covering his skin, especially when they were in a well-lit area.

"I was caught doin' somethin' I shouldn't've when I was... nine, I think? Maybe ten, I can't remember. Dad used the belt so much my skin ripped."  
He said, his gaze falling to the shimmering water he stood in.   
"Helped me suppress my attraction t' men, that's all I can say about that."  
One of his hands reached up and to the opposite shoulder, feeling one of the scars beneath his fingertips the further back he reached.

"Anthony..."   
Alastor sighed, letting a hand rest on Anthony's shoulder carefully.   
"As you said, it was a long time ago. It's a shame that you have scars that remind you of such a memory."   
At a mere age of nine, ten, obviously it would have been impossible even for Anthony to have stood up to his father, but now? Anthony could if he chose to.

Anthony blinked a few times before turning his head to look at Alastor, giving him a bit of a smile.  
"Hah, that's why I like havin' 'em on my back. I can't see 'em all the way back there."  
He replied, giving something of a doofy grin.   
This was him taking Alastor's advice to always smile in combination with saying what Molly would say to him to make light of the end result; out of sight, out of mind.

"Well, let's not get too down, this water won't swim in itself!"   
Alastor chuckled, taking in Anthony's dimple filled smile.   
"The water will warm up quite quickly as the day goes on, so this is undoubtedly the perfect time."   
He continued on, walking through the water a little which got deeper the further to the center of the swimming hole he moved.

The blonde followed slowly, the shiver continuing up through his body the deeper he went, stopping when the water got to his knees.  
It was refreshing and a little overpowering, but still nice. He knew that his body would get used to it the longer he was in there.

"We should do this every day."  
He said with a smile, looking up at the sky. It wasn't even noon yet and he could tell that it was going to be unforgivingly hot.

Alastor laughed, shaking his head as he watched Anthony slowly wade through the water.  
"Come on, my love."  
He chuckled, reaching a hand out for the blonde, suddenly pulling him in further into the water, holding his hand.   
"Every day would be wonderful."   
He smiled, the water now up to their chests.

Anthony squeezed the man's hand the further they got, keeping his arms up the higher the water got. It took a few minutes but he got used to the cold.   
"At least this ain't swamp water like the first dip I took, ah?"  
He laughed a bit, referring to the time he tripped and fell out of the rowboat.

Alastor laughed a little more at that, recalling how confident Anthony had been the first time he was getting off a boat, and how funny the result of his overconfidence had been.   
"Haha, yes! You looked like quite the wet cat, I will say."   
He smiled, looking up at the tree overhanging above them, seeing the warm sun peeking through the leaves.

Anthony huffed and chuckled.  
"Y' think I'm gunna look like that again if I go under right now?"  
He asked, standing in one place now as he looked up into the tree as well to see if Alastor had seen something.

Alastor nodded with a grin, not a doubt in his mind that Anthony would look like a drowned rat if he went under- in the nicest way possible, of course.

Anthony laughed again and used his hand to splash a bit of water at his lover.  
"Well, I ain't goin' under if that's the case."  
Just then, a thought came to mind.  
"Not until you do, at least. I ain't seen ya with your hair completely soaked b'fore."

Alastor raised a brow slightly, huffing a laugh as he shook his head.   
"Well, that's unfortunately not going to be happening today. My hair takes an age to dry."   
He smiled, scooping up some water and splashing it back at Anthony.   
"You get what you give, Anthony darling."

Anthony turned his head at the splash and let out a small laugh.  
"Alright how about this. If I do it, you have to too."  
He smiled, looking at the man again for only a moment before looking up at the branch that hung over their heads.

Alastor narrowed his eyes for a moment before he held out his hand for Anthony to shake.  
"Deal."   
He nodded, not wanting to pass up the opportunity. It was quite hilarious really.

Anthony smirked and nodded, grabbing Alastor's hand.   
"On three?"  
He asked with a raised brow. He did have a feeling that Alastor wasn't actually going to hold his end of the deal; if he didn't, well Anthony already had a plan in mind to get back at him.

Alastor couldn't help the smirk that rose to his face, the man nodding slowly once again as he readied himself to plunge into the water.  
Of course, he didn't _actually_ have any intention to get his head under the water. He didn't always stick to his promises. 

"On three."   
Alastor repeated.   
"One... two..."

Anthony nodded along as they both counted down, keeping his eyes on Alastor.  
"Three-"  
The blonde stated before taking a deep breath and sunk under the water, making sure he was completely under.

His eyes cracked open and he saw Alastor still standing tall, simply grinning and looking down at him.  
Anthony crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the man from where he was, not coming up just yet.

Alastor chuckled a few times as he watched Anthony sink into the water, looking down at him with an expression of pure smugness.  
Shrugging as he watched Anthony looking up at him, Alastor just raised his chin, at least offering a hand out to Anthony to help pull him back up again.

Anthony shook his head, his blonde hair freely flowing from under the water, then moved closer, wrapping his arms around Alastor's waist tightly.   
Staying there for a few more seconds, he started to emerge again, staying flush against the man.  
As soon as his head was out of water, his hair stuck to his face, those green eyes just looking at him with an unamused expression.

Alastor looked down at Anthony silently, brow raised as he stood still, watching as Anthony emerged out of the water right up close to him. His blonde hair had now gone a darker shade thanks to the water, yet his green eyes were just as mesmerizing as ever, if not more, now that they stared up at him, almost sparkling in the sunlight that peeked through the trees above them.   
Alastor certainly was mesmerized, to say the least.

Anthony stayed silent for a few moments, noticing that his lover was giving him the look. The look of fondness and admiration.   
His eyes wandered the man's features for a moment, deciding to play along for a bit before he planned to ruin it. Of course, now he was conflicted about whether he wanted to ruin this moment between them or keep it going as long as Alastor let it.

Alastor's features instantly softened as he silently admired Anthony's beauty, raising a hand from the water and slowly reaching out for the other, brushing some of his now wet locks out and away from his face.

Anthony smiled a little and tilted his head slightly as his arms moved up from around Alastor's waist and up to rest on his shoulders.

Alastor hummed softly as Anthony's arms moved, the brunette smirking a little as he looked at his lover's hair now. Wet cat indeed.   
"Hm, handsome."   
He chuckled, his other hand raising from the water to rest upon Anthony's hand that was on his shoulder.

Anthony gave a small hum in reply, his smile widening slightly.  
A few more moments and Anthony figured that was enough for now.

Smirking now, he spit the water that he held in his mouth at Alastor, making sure it hit his cheek.  
"Hold your end of the deal!"  
He said before hooking his foot around Alastor's ankles and started pushing him back, trying to get him to go under.

Alastor supposed he should have been expecting such a thing, but it still shocked him regardless.   
"Oh _Anthony_ , what-"   
But before Alastor could finish complaining at the water that was suddenly spat at him, he was suddenly being pushed back, the brunette losing his balance from where he stood in the water, consequently falling backward with a yelp.

Anthony couldn't help but laugh, let himself fall forward as Alastor fell back, making sure that he went under, but also just wanting to stay close to him as much as possible.

Alastor opened his eyes from under the clear water, scowling up at Anthony as he watched him follow. As quick as he'd gone under, Alastor was gathering his footing once again, standing back up with a gasp, not having held his breath properly when he went under.   
His hair was all in his eyes now, small ringlets forming. 

"Anthony."   
Alastor huffed, pushing his hair back out of his view.

Anthony grinned and joined his lover on the surface again, laughing.  
"Haha! Might wanna be careful next time ya make a deal with the mafia!"  
He chuckled and shifted to float on his back, looking up at Alastor.  
"Hold your end of the deal or we'll come for ya."  
He winked, grinning.

Alastor hardly looked amused, watching as Anthony began to float on his back.   
"I just think it's quite unpleasant how you put that water in your _mouth_ and then spat it at me."  
The man shook his head, sighing with a small chuckle. He really couldn't stay too mad at Anthony, especially when he had sort of brought this upon himself.

Anthony raised a brow and smirked.  
"I'll put anythin' in my mouth for a bitta fun."  
He said with another wink before putting his feet down again and stood toe to toe with Alastor.  
"Didja learn your lesson about makin' deals with me or are we gunna scrap about it?"

Alastor pursed his lips together, eyes widening before he shook his head again.   
"We _could_ scrap, but that's awfully childish, don't you think?"   
He raised a brow, leaning back in the water a little now since his hair was already wet as it was.

Anthony huffed a small laugh and leaned forward in the water, tilting his head a little.  
"Your hair's cute went it's wet."  
He observed as he swam up closer to the man, bringing his arms up and around his neck again.

"Yes... no thanks to you."   
Alastor's eyes narrowed slightly, yet he welcomed the arms around his neck regardless, standing up properly in the water, slowly moving with Anthony towards a ledge that looked to be far down enough to sit down on in the water.   
"As I said, it will take an age to dry. Even in this heat."

Anthony sighed softly and let himself be pulled along.  
"I won't make ya do it next time."  
He said, placing a kiss to Alastor's cheek with a small smile.

Letting go of Anthony's hands that he'd taken, Alastor took a seat on the ledge of rocks, perching on the edge.   
"Hm, good. And I'm still mildly disgusted by the fact you put that water in your mouth."   
He grinned, playfully wiping the kiss Anthony placed to his cheek away.

Anthony shrugged.  
"It's water. I could put worse things in there."  
He chuckled, sitting in the water just in front of Alastor with his legs crossed.  
"I can think of _one_ thing I wouldn't mind havin' in my mouth."  
He muttered, glancing off to the side.

"Anthony dearest, you're not being _crude,_ are you? That's hardly appropriate."   
Alastor questioned with a slight smirk, glancing off to the other side, leaning his head back on the rocks behind him. Even with small sunspots shining down through the trees, the atmosphere was getting more and more humid.

Anthony's brows knitted together.  
" _Crude_? I was thinkin' of crawfish."  
He stated as he looked to Alastor, a smirk pulling at his lips once again.  
"It's _you_ who was thinkin' crude, good sir. Care t' go further into detail with that?"  
He asked, leaning forward a little with a raised brow.

Alastor couldn't help but laugh a bit at that, shaking his head again.   
"No, I would not care to go into any further detail. It's no matter."   
He shrugged, raising a leg to the surface of the water, flicking some of the water up with his foot.

Anthony leaned back again to avoid getting hit with the water, chuckling as he let himself lean back in the pool.  
"Y' wanna know somethin' outlandish and obscure?"  
He asked out of nowhere. He didn't really know where his mind was going but it was a bit of a wild ride.

Alastor again shrugged, splashing his foot back down again into the water.   
"Hm, always. Where's the fun in something that's _not_ obscure?"   
He replied with a small laugh, eyes closing for a brief moment.

"Well, I guess this is somethin' y' already know, or I'd at least _hope_ y' know."  
Anthony chuckled, sitting up again, his hair slicked back out of his face as the water dripped down his back.  
"I love you."  
He finally said with a smile.

Alastor too pushed some of his hair back out of his face, looking over to Anthony with that expression of fondness again.   
"It seems your hopes are true."   
The man smiled, offering the blonde a soft nod.   
"I love you too. With everything that I have and with everything that I am."

Anthony couldn't help but let his smile grow, dimples deepening as he did.  
"That's awful sweet of ya, Smiles."  
He said as he stood up, water falling from his soaked shorts as he moved closer so he was standing in front of and slightly over Alastor.

Alastor smiled in response, reaching out for his lover as he moved closer towards him.   
"Yes, I suppose it is quite sweet, isn't it?"   
He chuckled.

Anthony smiled and shifted to sit next to him on the rock, Alastor shifting over so he could do so, giving a soft hum as the sun's extremely warm rays beat down on them.   
He leaned against Alastor a little and sighed.  
"I think I'm gunna like this slice of eternity with ya."

Alastor lifted a hand from the water and watched as the water ran out of his palm back into the small swimming hole.   
"Yes... I think I will too."   
He smiled, looking across at Anthony, reaching a hand out to trail carefully over the marks that the blonde had on his lower neck.   
"An eternity... yeah..."

Anthony almost shuddered at the careful touches but welcomed it regardless.   
"Y' know... if I didn't have my sister t' look out for, I woulda stayed here..."  
He sighed, glancing over at Alastor as he brought his knees up to his chest and hugged his legs.

Looking up into Anthony's eyes, Alastor raised a hand from the water again and sat up, wrapping his arm around the blonde's shoulders, letting his head rest against him.   
"Just know, you're always welcome here Anthony. Whatever the time of day and whatever the situation is."   
Alastor nodded, his smile warm.

Anthony's smile widened, letting his legs down again as he wrapped an arm around Alastor in return and ran his fingers through his own hair with his other hand.  
"Maybe she and I will run away t'gether. We'll come here and forget about New York. Lord knows how much she'd love that."  
He chuckled.

Alastor couldn't help but laugh too in response, shaking his head.   
"She sounds like the sort of person that would be thrilled to do such a thing. I know Mama would be very welcoming of the two of you if you were to run away here."

Anthony let out a small laugh and nodded, placing a kiss to Alastor's forehead.

  
They spent the majority of time there before they decided it was time to head back. Afterward, Anthony opted to go back to the hotel for an early night while Alastor decided to go home.

It wasn't too late when Alastor arrived back home again, Anthony at the hotel.   
Whistling a tune as he stepped out of his shoes on the porch, Alastor opened the door to his home, brow raising at the sound of music that could be heard inside. His mother was clearly already home.   
"Mama! I'm home!"   
He called out, removing his jacket and ruffling his hair a bit that had only just almost dried in the last thirty minutes or so.

"Have you eaten yet?"  
The woman called in reply, shutting off the water.  
"I've left some dinner for you and Anthony if he's here with you."  
She added as she wiped her hands dry on her skirt, now moving out of the kitchen and to properly greet her son.

Amélie was in the kitchen, cleaning up just after dinner. She had been thinking a lot that day about the news she'd received the day before and came across some odd findings just from her memory alone, and frankly, it all just seemed to make sense.

Peeking in the lounge, Alastor's smile widened at the sight of the gramophone sitting on the side, the culprit of the music that filled the air. It had been a while since any music had been played on it.

Upon hearing his mother calling from the kitchen, Alastor walked through to meet her halfway, smile wide.   
"Why, I'm sure Anthony would have appreciated the food, however, he has decided to stay at the hotel this evening. He wanted an early night."   
He spoke with a nod.   
"And no, I haven't eaten yet."

Amélie gave a nod and smiled as well, leading Alastor back to the kitchen where she left the two meals covered with a towel.  
"Well, I suppose now would be a good time to have a small discussion; that is if you're up for it."  
She said as she gathered cutlery for Alastor.

While Amélie gathered cutlery, the man removed the towel from one of the plates, folding it up neatly on the side before picking up the plate, humming at the wonderful smell of the food.   
"Hm, yes. If you wish to discuss, then I am open to doing so."   
He replied, glancing over his shoulder at her.

Amélie nodded and brought Alastor to the dining room so that he could sit and eat properly, setting the utensils down at his usual spot and then took her seat.  
"I feel I might've connected a few dots and would like confirmation."  
She said as she smoothed her skirt.

Alastor knew that it was only a matter of time before his mother would want to talk about all of this. He wasn't surprised when Amélie brought up the events of the day prior either.   
Thanking her as she set his cutlery down on the table, he nodded, setting his plate down on the table and taking a seat.   
"Do continue."

"It's has been established that the two of you had a connection before Anthony left the last time he was here, correct? With that said, I remember you had come home with marks on your neck... was it Anthony who gave those to you?"  
She asked, getting right to the point. She wasn't sure how to go about all of this, never thinking she would have to, so she was just trying to power through it as best as she could.

Alastor paused a moment just as he was about to take a bite of his food, lowering the fork back down to the plate again, deciding to wait a moment before he ate. This wasn't a direction he had been expecting, but it was an aspect of his and Anthony's story that Amélie had every right to be curious about. It was another piece to the puzzle that she needed to be informed about if she was to eventually accept and more importantly understand this situation fully. 

"Yes... you are correct."   
Alastor finally nodded, confirming his mother's theory.   
"It was Anthony who gave me those marks all that time ago... are you shocked?"

Amélie paused, realizing that perhaps now wasn't the best time to be discussing these things, but it had already begun.

"If I had found out then, without a doubt I would have been, but because I now know this between the two of you to be fact, I suppose I'm not."  
She replied.

Alastor could only nod at his mother's words, the music of the gramophone in the lounge still quietly playing in the background.   
"Yes, well, I am quite relieved you aren't too shocked then. I understand completely that it is something that I should have taken more precautions to hide, given the context. I am, however, glad that you found out now rather than then."

Amélie nodded.  
"Yes, I suppose now is the best time for it. I assume that's why you didn't want me reading the letters the two of you sent as well."

Once again, Alastor nodded, finally taking a bite of the food his mother had made, it being as delicious as always.   
"Indeed. There were written conversations between us that would have immediately revealed the truth behind our relationship to you."

Nodding again as she lowered her head briefly, she could understand and respect that decision he had made.   
She wanted to know if they were off messing around every night Alastor was out but deemed that information to be too personal and not something to be discussed while one was eating, or at all due to how intrusive it was to Alastor and Anthony's private lives.  
"I do have one question though... if I may."

Alastor had always liked the fact that his mother wasn't someone to be too intrusive, and he respected her by all means for that. Especially in terms of this situation.   
"Ask away, Mama. I'm sure you have many queries about all of this, and if it will help your own understanding, then I am willing to answer."

She really wasn't sure how to word this without sounding too... what was the word; regretful? Perhaps that wasn't quite right.

"Are you this way because... you didn't have a proper father figure in your life? Because you were raised by only women?"

Alastor slowly put down his fork again, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair.   
"Mama..."   
He huffed almost sadly, shaking his head as he looked across into her eyes. 

"I was raised by wonderful women, Mama, you included. Women who I owe much of my mostly pleasant childhood to. And the fact that father was not in my life is most probably the best thing that could have been. If he had been around, things may have been very different. However- the day I met Anthony and everything that happened between us afterward has _nothing_ to do with the man known as my father. What I feel for Anthony is simply exactly that. A feeling, and my feelings, as closed up as they usually are, are _not_ things that have been influenced by my childhood and what people have or haven't been a part of it."

Amélie listened closely, wondering if maybe Alastor was just in denial about the events leading up to this. Not that it mattered now anyway. What was done was done, but still, she actively looked for an explanation for everything if it had to do with the medical and psychological field in hopes that she could make a difference for those suffering from these sorts of things.

"If you're certain, I suppose I can't argue with that."

She said with a soft smile, simply giving a nod.  
"What is it about Anthony that you like so much? He truly is a wonderful man, but what about him specifically had you choose him over a woman?"

"It wasn't necessarily the fact that Anthony was a man that I initially found attractive. It was just... him as a person, I suppose. His gender was just something that added to that attraction in the end. I had never thought of anyone as being visibly attractive before, male or female, but there was just something about Anthony that had me. It took me by surprise."   
Alastor began, knowing he couldn't tell his mother everything, since there were some things he found attractive about Anthony that he was to not speak about to anyone other than Anthony.

"He understands me, as admittedly strange I can be at times. He's quite a laugh to be around, I will say. Not to mention there was something about him when we met that was just so... unreadable. Intriguing."

Again, Amélie slowly nodded. This was unfamiliar territory for her completely and never thought her own son would end up going down this path. It was hard for her to get her head around but she was definitely trying her best.

"Of course. I'll stop with the questions for now so you can eat. I'll be stitching in the lounge for a while if you'd like to join me when you're finished."  
She said as she stood from her seat, making sure to kiss Alastor's forehead as she passed; her way of telling him that she wasn't upset and still loved him despite all of this.

Nodding in thanks at his mother's understanding, just as Amélie began to leave the room, Alastor took another bite of his food.

She did pause, however, tilting her head slightly as she ran her fingers through Alastor's now slightly curled hair.  
"You went swimming today."  
She observed.

Looking over his shoulder as his mother ran her fingers through his hair, Alastor quickly finished the food in his mouth before responding.

"Ah, yes. Anthony and I spent the day at a swimming hole, given the warm weather. I tried not to get my hair wet considering how long it takes to dry, however to no avail."   
He explained with a smile and a nod, turning back to his meal to take another bite.

The woman gave a nod and a smile.  
"I assume the two of you had a good time. That's good."  
She said as she continued on her way to leave Alastor to his food.


	46. Chapter 46

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Direct homophobia and murder~

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Monday, August 6th, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

The next day that came around was a Sunday, all of the stores and places that Anthony and Alastor could have gone, not open due to it being the last day of the week.   
As was routine, Amélie went to church early in the morning, however for once, she actually asked Alastor to join her. It was an unexpected invitation, the woman not giving a reason as to why she wanted him to join her, however, Alastor politely declined, planning to spend the day with Anthony instead; and spend the day with Anthony he did, the two of them spending a relaxing day up the bayou by Alastor's shed. Anthony managed to get a pretty decent tan that Sunday from being outside so much. 

Anthony worked on a few more drawings for Alastor as the brunette documented the drawings in the book he'd been writing with all the different species of plants, herbs, and all sorts.  
Sunday was pleasant by all means, and at the end of the day, Anthony and Alastor returned to the older man's home where the two of them shared a Sunday dinner courtesy of Amélie.

As Monday rolled around, the two spent the day discussing ideas of what they wanted to do that day over breakfast at Alastor's house. Amélie had made a short appearance before she had to go to work, her mood quite cheery.   
They spent their day just enjoying each other's company until dinner time, Alastor suggesting they see a picture show considering they still had time to make it to the theaters. which Anthony eagerly agreed to.

Once they had everything cleaned up, they left the house and made it just in time for a show featuring Charlie Chaplin. This was the first show Anthony had ever had the privilege of seeing.

"So, tell me, Anthony. What did you think of the picture show? Wasn't it just excellent!"   
Alastor asked as they left the movie theater, stepping out into the night, the sun having set not too long ago and the street lamps just being lit by the lamplighters.

They'd decided earlier that they would go to the bar after watching the picture show, so Alastor began to lead them in that direction as they walked.   
"I will say, it's been quite a while since I last went to the movies, but they never fail to entertain me!"

Anthony was grinning ear to ear as they walked.  
"It was great! Are they all like that?"  
He asked, eyes shining despite the creeping darkness of the night.  
"Ah, doesn't matter either way. I'd definitely do it again!"  
He continued with a small laugh, waving his hand dismissively.

The best part, in Alastor's opinion by far, was right now. Seeing Anthony's grinning smile as they left, his dimples as clear as day as the blonde beamed in happiness.   
"Haha, why, we should! Perhaps they will show something different in a week's time. Who knows!"

Anthony nodded excitedly, his smile still so wide, it almost started to hurt his cheeks.  
"I'd really like that, Al!"  
He really hoped that the next one they went to would be close to empty again so they could hold hands again. The darkness of the room meaning that Anthony and Alastor could very discreetly hold each other's hand throughout.

"Y' think it mighta been weird though? Two guys goin' to a movie?"  
The blonde asked in a bit of a hushed voice as he glanced around, a few people still out and about around them.

Alastor too looked around them briefly, not seeing anyone directly in front or behind them. If they were quiet, he supposed they could discuss.   
"Not at all, Anthony. We could be simply friends for all anyone knows."   
He smiled, folding his arms neatly behind his back, chin raising as they continued to walk.  
"For now, the place we need to be most careful at is the hotel. They already pulled us up, and even if it wasn't specifically us that they meant, one can never be too careful."

Anthony scoffed and shook his head.  
"No, I'm pretty sure it was us. They were ready t' give me the boot after that apparently."  
He said as he rolled his eyes.  
"Doesn't matter. We gotta really watch it now though."  
He continued, taking one more look around as they walked.

"Now now Anthony, I'm sure that's not true. The hotel wouldn't kick a paying customer out."  
Alastor laughed, hand waving in the air in front of him dismissively, positive that Anthony was just being dramatic.   
"But you are right about us having to be careful. Regardless of what the hotel says, we must be discreet."

It was then that Anthony remembered that he still hadn't told him about the call with his father two days ago. It must have slipped his mind, Alastor being quite the handsome distraction on his own.  
"Oh, no they actually called my dad about it. 'Cause he's the one payin' for my stay, they wanted t' ask his opinion on it. If I was payin' for it, I have a feelin' they woulda kicked me t' the curb without a second thought."  
He explained, recalling the details of the call.

"Luckily he was in an alright mood and stood up for me... as weird and outta character as that was for him. Asked him if I should just find somewhere else t' stay and he said not t' bother."  
The blonde shrugged, glancing up at Alastor in hopes that his reaction wouldn't be negative towards the situation. It was dealt with and everyone seemed to move on from it- well, except for the hotel. They were obviously keeping a close eye on him.

Alastor's lips pursed together in somewhat surprise as he was told of this event he wasn't even aware had happened. It was interesting though- both the fact that the hotel dared to think about throwing out Anthony onto the streets due to simply suspicion _and_ the fact that Anthony's father had actually stood up for his son. 

"Hm, I see."   
Alastor slowly nodded, looking to the ground in thought for a moment, still walking.   
"Do you think there was perhaps a reason your father stood up for you? I gather that isn't a very common occurrence."   
He continued.  
"But I suppose in light of this situation, it is only even more confirmation that we are to be ever careful. I'm afraid I will not be able to accompany you to your room anymore if we are to avoid suspicion in that sense."

Anthony nodded.  
"No, I know. We've been fine since it happened, I think."  
He replied, pulling out his cigarette case and set one between his lips, then closed the case, pulled his lighter out, and lit the end.

"Dad knows... or _thinks_ he got through in makin' his point clear all those years ago. He damn near did, then you came along and threw his lesson right out the damn window."  
He laughed softly, shaking his head with a smile.  
"It's alright though. I'm happy with how things turned out."

Despite his worry over the hotel's suspicion, Alastor still found a smile on his face regardless- one that only grew the more Anthony continued to talk.   
"Imagine if we had not met, or failed to make any of this between us happen. Whatever the reality of that could have been, I am both glad and happy that is not the case. Despite how discreet we have to be, I love you regardless."   
The alley that the secret bar was in, was just up ahead now, there being no streetlamps in this area of course. Alastor wondered if it would be as busy as the last time they visited.

Anthony smiled up at the man and shook his head.  
"I can tell ya right now, I probably wouldn't be here if we never met."  
Of course, there was more to that than one would first think. He didn't just mean in the city for the second time but he also meant alive in general.   
There were a few instances where he had to fight to stay alive, and Alastor gave him all the more reason to do just that, which Anthony appreciated greatly.

As they turned down the alley, Anthony looked to Alastor with a bit of a smile, something was on his mind that he was thinking deeply about and had been for the last few days, but wasn't sure what to make of it just yet or if it would even work.

They entered the establishment the same way they did the last time they were in the area, the live jazz music already being heard as they made their way down.  
As soon as the door was opened for them into the main area of the establishment, Alastor was immediately scanning the room, his brows furrowing, grinning smile widening as he honed in on a specific table of men off to the side, drinking away. 

"Hm..."   
Alastor hummed with a smirk, looking to Anthony who was also looking around.   
"Now, what would you like to drink? It's on me!"

"Hm? Oh, y' know I'll drink anythin' you're havin'."  
Anthony replied with a bit of a smile as he then looked back at Alastor. The place was busy, but not packed; something Anthony was more or less grateful for.

As they made their way over to the bar, he had to put an effort into keeping a fair distance from his lover because he knew he would try to grab Alastor's hand.

"I know _just_ what to get us then."   
Alastor smiled, stepping up to the bar and being served immediately, unlike the last time they had been there where it had been a little busier.

Soon enough, two small glasses of drink were being slid their way, Alastor handing over the payment before passing a glass over Anthony.   
"This, my dear, is the well-renowned sazerac. Beloved by many around here."

Anthony raised a brow and took the glass, looking at the amber-colored liquid inside.   
"Sazerac, huh?"  
He took a quick whiff of the drink before taking a sip. His brows lifted and he gave a nod as he processed the flavors and strength.  
"That ain't bad at all."  
He said as he took another sip.

Raising his glass to Anthony, Alastor too nodded.   
"Not bad in the slightest. It's been a long while since I've had any."   
He chuckled, taking a sip of the beverage.   
"Now, where to sit..."   
Trailing off, Alastor glanced around the room, his gaze falling upon the group of men he'd first spotted upon arriving- they seemed to be getting increasingly drunk as the minutes went by.

Anthony took a quick look around, his eyes landing on the band for a quick moment before continuing to scan the area for an empty table; hopefully out of the way so he could hold Alastor's hand again.  
He finally spotted a table across the room, raising his glass in the direction of the table just past the group of men Alastor was watching that was luckily beside the wall.

"There, c'mon."  
Anthony said as he started walking with a bit of a smile.

At the table that Anthony raised his glass to, Alastor nodded in turn, following behind the blonde as he led the way to the table that was in the corner of the room.

As they walked to the table, Alastor kept his eyes on the group of men, and just as they passed them, he decided to speak up.   
"Why, what a fine evening it is, _officers_! Enjoying your drinks?"   
He grinned, exclaiming as he raised his drink to them with a nod.

Anthony paused as he heard the word 'officers' leave Alastor's mouth, stopping and turning towards them.

"Ah ha, yes sir, we are!"  
The huskiest of the group beamed, the other four men cheering and toasting in reply to agree.

Alastor simply nodded again in reply before walking off with a smug grin, eyes narrowed in amusement before he and Anthony took a seat at the table by the wall.   
"You know, one of those officers attempted to raid this place before."   
He hummed, taking a sip of his drink before glancing over to the blonde over the rim of the glass.

Anthony knew that police officers would often indulge in these sorts of activities. Even though it was illegal, many officers would go in to raid but end up coming out with more cash than they made in a month in exchange for their silence.   
The system was flawed and everyone was taking advantage of that.   
Underground bars were extremely profitable so they had enough money to hand out like that.

Anthony gave a small smile and took a sip before nodding.  
"I see that turned out well."  
He chuckled as he set his glass down on the table, glancing off to the table of men.   
"Seems like y' know almost everyone in the city and some sorta story t' go with 'em."

Alastor hummed again before chuckling, crossing a leg over the other with a shrug.   
"Well, people can be awfully dull. It's not difficult to find things about the locals when you've been here your whole life."   
He explained, setting his drink down.

Anthony nodded and smirked, taking a quick look around before moving his chair a bit so he could sit right beside Alastor.  
"Just... gettin' a better view of the band."  
He said with a bit of a wink, taking another sip of his drink.

"I'm sure you are."   
The man smirked back in response, looking to the band now that Anthony mentioned it.   
"Ah what it would be like to play in a jazz band."   
He smiled, gaze moving over to his lover now.   
"I don't think I ever asked, but do you play anything? I know you said that music wasn't something that your father allowed."

Anthony's brows raised as he focused on Alastor's words, shaking his head.  
"No, I don't. We got a whole room for instruments but it's always locked. That was always Ma's thing and when she passed, those doors closed."  
He explained, taking a sip of his drink before continuing.  
"Pops goes in there when it's close t' her anniversary and messes with her harp, but that's the only time that room sees the light of day."

Alastor slowly nodded in understanding, finding it quite saddening that despite having a music room, Anthony's father made it so that the doors were always closed.   
"If you could play anything, what do you think you'd play?"   
He then asked, leaning ever so slightly closer to Anthony in his chair.

"I... dunno. There's a lotta things t' choose from."  
He said with a bit of a sigh, his left hand moving down off of the table and to blindly look for Alastor's. He was glad they found this spot. No one would see them from behind because they were practically against the wall.  
"Ma played the piano and harp mostly. Pops used t' play the accordion way back in the day when he still had a bitta light in his life."  
He explained as he watched the band.

As soon as Alastor felt Anthony's hand brush his own, it was almost natural for him to gently take the blonde's hand as a response, the man not even acknowledging that it was happening as their fingers intertwined under the table.   
"The accordion? Why for some reason I can certainly envision you playing such a thing. Quite the smart instrument that is, haha!"

Anthony raised a brow and finally looked to the man beside him, his already soft smile widening slightly.  
"Really? I dunno. It looks pretty difficult. All those buttons and keys. Dunno if my hand would allow it. Maybe if I had an extra set of arms or somethin'."  
He said as he looked to his right hand, flexing his fingers a little.

"Perhaps it would also exercise it? I can only imagine how it cramps up occasionally."   
Alastor nodded, looking across at Anthony's right hand, watching the way that the blonde flexed his fingers.   
"Once you learn the instrument, you never forget. So perhaps it is something you'd like to try one day."

Anthony chuckled lightly and nodded.  
"Maybe one day when dad's six feet deep in the ground and I'm left by myself."  
He said softly, picking up his glass again and gently squeezing Alastor's hand in reply as he took a sip.

Just as Anthony did, Alastor took another small sip of his drink, smiling a little wider at the gentle squeeze of his hand.   
"Yes, perhaps..."   
He trailed off.  
"How do you like the drink? People used to have it all the time before the ban- not like that's stopped anyone though, haha!"

Anthony chuckled lightly and nodded.  
"I really like it! Thanks for havin' me try it, Al. You're good with your booze."  
He was just about to lean in and give Alastor a kiss on the cheek but immediately caught himself, remembering their surroundings. His attention moved to the band again and took a sip from his glass to keep himself focused.

Alastor quietly cleared his throat, giving Anthony a slight look as he noticed him start to lean in for a kiss to the cheek; but regardless of that almost slip up, he still kept their hands holding each other as he too looked to the band, focusing on the upbeat music that filled the air.

Luckily, Anthony played it off as just adjusting his position.   
With a small sigh, he finished his drink and set the glass down. He only wished there was a place just like this with the music and the drinks where they could be affectionate towards each other.   
He knew they definitely had a fair number of those kinds of places in New York, all run by the mafia actually, but he didn't know about here.

Alastor took a few more sips of his drink before finishing it up and setting it down on the table, turning to Anthony and looking down at his finished drink too.   
"Do you want another?"   
He asked over the sound of the band, smile softening.

Nodding, the blonde smiled and let go of Alastor's hand so he could make a clean getaway.  
"I'd love another, Al. Thanks."  
He replied as he shifted in his seat again.  
God, all he wanted was to kiss his lover. Even just on the hand would suffice.

Slowly lowering his hand once Anthony let go, Alastor casually stood from the table, shooting him another small smile before he began to walk back through the room towards the bar. A few more people had gathered around there now, but he knew he wouldn't have to wait long to be served hopefully.

Anthony watched Alastor for a few moments, just watching him walk away.  
That man was quite the handsome cat and he definitely felt lucky to have such a prince in his life.

Once he saw him get to the bar, he pulled his eyes away and to the band, smiling as he listened to the trumpet have its little solo. His mind was starting to come up with ways to sneak a bit of affection here.   
Anthony was overflowing with the need to give Alastor some of his love.

Alastor did look back at Anthony briefly once he got to the bar, very quickly making eye contact with the blonde that was staring at him before his attention was back at the bar.

He took his time in waiting, leaning against the bar, fingers tapping along the solid wood to the beat of the music playing in the background before finally, the bartender was serving him. Ordering two of the sazerac drinks again, Alastor paid the fee and waited, not being able to help but catch Anthony's gaze from across the room again.

Anthony brought his elbows up to rest on the table and rested his chin on the bridge his fingers made, his green eyes once again watching the man from across the room with something of a smirk.   
He might have just come up with an idea. Of course, it would be brief to keep suspicion down, but it would be enough.  
Something Anthony had noticed about himself was that he became extremely affectionate and almost needy when he drank. Strange, but interesting all the same.

Alastor's dark eyes narrowed, a brow raising in the slightest as he noticed the smallest of smirks lifting up a corner of Anthony's lips, a hint of a dimple showing from what he could see from where he was. His mind was about to question that smirk, however before he could, two drinks were being slid his way, Alastor thanking the bartender before he was walking back over to their table. 

"Here we are, two sazeracs."   
Alastor grinned, setting the glasses down before returning to his seat.

Anthony sat up properly and looked at the drink in front of him.  
"Grazie."  
He nodded, lifting it to take a sip.  
"After this one, I'm gunna head t' the bathroom."  
He stated, setting his glass down with a wink in Alastor's direction.

Alastor just nodded, clearly not either seeing or catching on to the wink that was thrown his way.  
"Alright."   
He replied, sipping at his drink and leaning back in his chair.

Anthony paused, raising a brow at the reply he was given before sighing.  
"Al. I'm going to go to the bathroom."  
He repeated, watching him closely.

Alastor was clearly missing something here, the man's eyes narrowing in confusion.   
"Anthony, dearest, you're not too drunk I hope."   
He chuckled slightly, head tilting.   
"You already told me that."

"No, Al. Look at me."  
Anthony sighed, making sure Alastor was looking at him before repeating himself again.  
"I'm going to the bathroom."  
He said slowly, following it up with two slow winks in hopes that he would get it this time.

Grabbing his drink, Alastor took a long sip of it as Anthony looked into his eyes, the two slow winks this time causing both even more confusion and in response, the reply which he figured Anthony was looking for. Given, that he had no idea why he would want that.   
"Would... you perhaps want me to _accompany_ you to the bathroom?"   
He responded slowly, setting his glass down, scanning the blonde's face and eyes for any sort of correct reaction.

Anthony's head lowered in defeat. Maybe he _was_ drunk, thinking this would have worked smoothly.  
Raising his head again, he looked at the man with a sigh.  
"That's what I was gettin' at. Yes."  
He replied, taking another sip of his drink.

Slowly nodding again, Alastor looked off to the side. He may have had a drink, but that didn't mean he was drunk yet either- the attempted inconspicuous way that Anthony was acting simply confused him.   
"Why, you could have quietly said that to begin with. A wink can mean anything, my dear."   
He responded quietly, taking another sip.

Anthony rolled his eyes and looked to the band again, continuing to work on his drink.

It didn't take him long to finish it, setting his glass down on the table before standing.  
"'Scuse me."  
The blonde muttered, heading towards the washrooms with his hands in his pockets. He made sure to glance back to make sure Alastor was following or at least showed signs of getting up to follow.

Alastor watched as Anthony got up from their table and began to make his way to the bathroom, as he said he would. Deciding to wait a few moments, not wanting things to seem suspicious in any way, while he waited, Alastor finished up his drink too.

"Okay..."   
Alastor muttered to himself as he stood, running a hand through his hair and swiftly walking across the room in the direction that Anthony had just gone, the empty glasses of sazerac now left on the table.

Anthony got to the men's washroom and simply stood at the mirror as he waited for Alastor, taking his time to fix his hair a little. You know, make it look like he was there for a reason even though he was alone.

Alastor made sure to not look around himself too much as he walked over, however, he was quite sure that the majority of people within the bar were too caught up in their own lives anyway.

Pulling the door open, Alastor walked into the washroom, and immediately his eyes fell on his lover.

The blonde gave a small smile as he saw the door open from the corner of his eye before actually looking over to Alastor and proceeded to turn his whole body towards him, then walked over to him.  
"Hi."  
He hummed softly, waiting for the door to shut completely before leaning up to kiss Alastor's cheek and slowly toward his lips until they finally met.

Nodding at Anthony in acknowledgment as he said hello, it was as he was suddenly pulled in for a kiss that Alastor's eyes widened slightly, the brunette now finally understanding why Anthony had wanted this.

As their lips met, Alastor brought a hand up to Anthony's cheek, his smile quickly widening before he pulled away, eyes narrowed with a smirk.   
"So, this is why? Hm, how risqué of your Anthony."   
He chuckled lowly before bringing Anthony back in for another kiss, moving to guide him further from the door.

Anthony smirked and continued the kiss, that longing need being fulfilled now. Sure, it had only been a couple of hours since he'd been able to kiss his lover, but even that was far too long in his books.

"Non riesco a non toccarti..."  
[I can't not touch you...]  
He muttered against Alastor's lips with a sigh.

The alcohol was most probably behind a large majority of this whole scenario between them, even if they hadn't had very much to drink- but Alastor certainly wasn't complaining. A bathroom wasn't the most ideal of places to be showing his affections towards his lover, however, he would take whatever he could get.

Kissing softly from Anthony's lips to just under his chin, Alastor quickly moved back up again to his lips, a hand finding Anthony's now.  
"Je t'aime."   
He quietly whispered with a peck to the Italian's cheek.

Anthony kept his eyes closed but his smile widened, only sighing an Italian 'I love you' in reply, knowing by now that 'je t'aime' was French for that very same phrase.

Anthony was in the process of hooking his arm around Alastor's neck when the bathroom door suddenly opened, sending the blonde into a bit of a panic as he quickly let go of his lover and leaped away, rushing to the sink as if he was just on his way to washing his hands.

At the sound of the door swinging open, Alastor too panicked and spun to face the mirror in the bathroom, casually adjusting his hair and glancing over his shoulder at the man who had just walked in. Not anyone that he knew, which was good.

The man who had just entered the washroom, unfortunately, caught a brief moment of the show and snarled something presumably nasty in French just by the tone he used.

Alastor was just about to nod politely in the man's direction however quickly halted, a very displeased frown forming on the brunette's face at the mere words the stranger spat their way.   
"Pardon?"   
He spoke, turning around fully now.

Anthony didn't dare speak or even look at what was happening, keeping his eyes down on the sink.

The man stopped and turned to face Alastor, lip raised in disgust.  
"J'ai dit que je devrais vous tuer tous les deux pour être d'aussi horribles créatures."  
He said, his voice a little harsher yet still quite slurred as he finished the sentence by spitting on the ground towards them.

Alastor's expression was more or less unreadable as he took a step back away from the spit that lay on the washroom floor, not saying a word.

Anthony didn't need to know what was said. The tone said it all. He jumped a bit as the stall door slammed shut. Even with the man behind a closed door, Anthony didn't look up, simply watching the water run from the tap and flow into the drain.

Mumbling something quiet in French to himself, Alastor looked across to Anthony before he swiftly left the bathroom. 

  
Anthony finally looked up when he caught Alastor leaving out of the corner of his eye, brows furrowing slightly. It took him a moment before he shut the water off and quickly followed. He didn't want to be left alone with that man.

Alastor, when he left the bathroom quickly found himself back at the bar, deciding to order a third set of drinks. He was quite sure that both he and Anthony needed it after that close call.   
Luckily, the table that they had been sitting at before was still available.

When Anthony noticed Alastor heading to the bar, he decided to go back to their table and wait.  
With Alastor suddenly so quiet, he knew whatever the man said was bad enough to piss his lover off; and clearly upset Anthony as well.   
It was the same tone used when his father and older brother spoke about how much they disapproved of the homosexual lifestyle- to put it lightly.

Sitting, Anthony kept his eyes down on the table in front of him. The band was still playing but he couldn't hear it over his own guilt. He felt really stupid for thinking that could have been executed flawlessly.

Alastor was brisk in getting himself and Anthony another drink, a simple whiskey this time, not the sazerac.   
Soon enough he was returning to where Anthony sat, looking quite guilty, staring down at the table. Alastor hated seeing him that way, it made him feel a certain way; seeing him looking so guilty and down.

"Here we are."   
Alastor spoke up, placing the drinks down on the table, taking a seat.

Anthony responded with a curt nod as he picked up the new glass, not daring to look at Alastor just yet.  
"Do I wanna know what he said?"  
He asked softly as he raised the glass to his lips and slumped back into his seat, his free arm crossing over his body as he took the first sip. He could hardly taste it with how horrible he felt.

Alastor just shook his head, immediately bringing the alcohol to his lips.   
"I won't repeat it."   
He replied, quietly simmering away just thinking about what that man had said. He'd be lucky.

Anthony gave a bit of a nod, now taking a big gulp of his drink, gaze meeting the table once again.   
"I'm... sorry."  
He spoke after a few moments, keeping the glass pressed against his cheek.

"Don't apologize."   
Alastor sighed, hand running through his hair and taking another sip his drink.   
"It's not you. It's that man and his foul words that is the issue... but don't worry my dear. He is all talk. He'll get what he deserves in due time."

Anthony took a deep breath and finally glanced over at his lover as the inner corners of his brows pulled upward.

It didn't really matter what Alastor said, Anthony was still going to feel guilty and silently hate himself for pulling Alastor into this mess. The man seemed to be just fine before he came along, but it was too late to go back and change anything.  
Anthony was hooked and Alastor seemed to be too.

Anthony set his glass down and brought a hand out to rest on Alastor's knee under the table.  
"Ti amo..."

Alastor slowly looked over at Anthony, a soft smile crossing his face as he felt his lover's comforting hand on his knee.   
All he could do was nod in response, taking a long sip of the drink, downing the rest of it, and setting the glass down on the table.   
"We should probably get going. In case anything else happens. I doubt that drunken man will say anything to anyone though, fortunately."

Anthony gave a curt nod and finished off his own drink before setting the empty glass on the table.  
"Good idea."  
He replied as he started to stand.

Just as he did and looked up, he noticed the same man from the washroom came into his line of vision.  
Anthony exhaled and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small metal container, popped it open, took two pills from inside, and put them in his mouth.  
"C'mon."  
He said after swallowing the painkillers, putting the container back into his pocket.

Alastor's attention was then on the man from the washroom, watching him from a distance as they stood to leave.   
It seemed that the man was making an exit too.   
"Yes..."   
He hummed, beginning to walk towards the exit of the bar, looking to the group of officers who were as rowdy as ever, many empty glasses on their table.  
Nodding in their direction once again, Alastor decided to make the smallest of remarks. Whether it would be a smart idea or not, he would know in due time. 

"Good evening officers. Don't drink too much, hm? You'll have lots of work to do when the morning comes."   
With that, not really waiting for much of a reply, Alastor walked away.

Anthony was hesitant to follow, not wanting to provoke another remark from the man but didn't want to be left alone either. It took everything within him not to grab Alastor's hand.

As they made their way, Anthony nodded towards the men who opened the doors for them, the man not too far ahead of them.  
Once they were alone in the darkness of the alley, Anthony took Alastor's hand and stopped him from going any further.  
"Wait a minute... I don't wanna have another run-in with him..."  
He whispered, squeezing Alastor's hand.

Alastor looked to Anthony as he took his hand, the brunette shaking his head, waving his other hand dismissively.   
"Oh no no no, Anthony. We can't let him get _away_?"   
He announced casually, letting the blonde's hand go, walking a little quicker now, yet he was still as calm as ever.

Anthony's brows knitted together, almost having forgotten that this was Alastor. He knew what this man was capable of and sought after when something rubbed him the wrong way.   
Hesitantly, he followed as they made their way out onto the street, the man just ahead of them stumbling a bit. 

"Al, it's fine. He didn't do nothin'."  
Anthony tried again.  
As far as he knew, the man only complimented them in the washroom. He hadn't a clue what was actually said despite the tone and spitting saying more than enough.

There was a moment's silence, Alastor not ceasing his walking pace in the slightest. He'd almost forgotten for a moment that Anthony didn't know what the man had said.

"Tell me, Anthony."   
Alastor began, reaching into his pocket for his cigarette box, being swift in taking out a cigarette and lighting it.   
"Do you consider yourself a _disgusting_ creature?"   
He spoke with the cigarette between his teeth, words a little harsh now.   
"Do you think both yourself and I should be _killed_ for being disgusting creatures?"

Anthony's pace slowed for only a moment as he processed what Alastor had said, blinking a few times as it hit him. He could understand why Alastor was so worked up now.

Picking up his pace again, Anthony's brows knitted together.  
Watching as the man stumbled his way into the park, Anthony walked right beside Alastor now.  
"He _definitely_ ain't gettin' away with that."

That man could call Anthony whatever he wanted, but he sure as hell wasn't going to get away with calling Alastor, Anthony's _everything_ , such a horrible thing or threaten him like that.

"Such a foul thing thinks it could have killed us both itself."   
Alastor's eyes narrowed as they scanned the surrounding area, and just as he'd hoped, no one was around.   
"It's laughable, really. I'm almost ashamed in myself over how long I let this being roam after it called you such a thing." 

As for Alastor? He could take insults, of course, but if they were thrown in Anthony's direction? Then that's where the problems began in Alastor's eyes. No insult dared touch Anthony if it was within earshot.

"So, what's the plan then? Wouldja wanna do the honors?"  
Anthony asked, his eyes not leaving their new target. Because he was here for a sort of vacation, he didn't bring his gun or any form of weaponry with him on his trip, so naturally, he didn't have anything on him now.   
Of course, Anthony knew how to kill someone with his bare hands, but he also knew how much Alastor _loved_ taking the lives of those who didn't deserve them in the first place.

With the hand that wasn't holding the cigarette, Alastor slowly reached into his inside jacket pocket, giving it a few small pats with a nod of his head, eyes narrowed, wide grin almost eerie considering what he planned to do. 

"Naturally."   
He replied, the drunken man barely a few feet ahead now, clearly not in a clear enough state of mind to notice the two men following behind him.   
"Leave it to me, Anthony darling. Behind those large trees over there will do."

Anthony looked past the man and to where Alastor mentioned for only a moment and nodded.   
"Alright."  
He sighed. He did want to participate even a little, but he knew it was going to make Alastor extremely happy to do it. He would do anything for Alastor to be happy.

Alastor caught Anthony's sigh, even if it was slight, a smirk pulling up Alastor's lips. He mentally made a promise to let Anthony have his fun too, of course- but all in due time.

Anthony then picked up his pace and moved off of the path, practically jogging up ahead of both Alastor and the man to the large trees, leaning himself against the trunk of one.

Watching with much intent as Anthony jogged off, Alastor continued on confidently, chin raised as the drunk took the bait all too easily.

Once the man walked past, Anthony smirked.  
"Hey!"  
He called, catching the man's attention.  
"Y' should kill me, huh? Well here's your chance, big guy."

The man swayed on the spot, simply looking Anthony over with a drunken grin before starting to stumble over; just as Anthony wanted as he started backing further into the trees, simply luring the man so Alastor could have his fun.

As the man moved closer to Anthony, Alastor quietly followed him through the darkened trees, feeling a mild chill, his shadow suddenly appearing and creeping up behind him, it's mirroring smile to Alastor's just as wide.

As soon as Anthony saw Alastor closing in, Anthony stopped where he was, knowing this man wouldn't be able to lay a finger on him in time.

"You and your friend are a waste of life."  
The man spat, luckily in English.

"Aw, ya think so? Awful nice of ya t' be thinking about us in your final moments."  
Anthony replied, putting his hand in his pockets with a wide grin.

This clearly enraged the drunk even more as he balled his fists, raising one in obvious intent to swing at the blonde.

Alastor waited quietly, listening to the pathetic excuse of a human slurring his words as he went to swing at Anthony. However, before he even had the opportunity to drive his fist forwards, the man was falling backward onto the ground... however it was neither Alastor nor Anthony's doing.   
As the drunk lay on the ground, Alastor's shadow in all of its menacingly grinning glory stood over him, Alastor raising an eyebrow. An interesting development, but he could work with that.

"You want to kill _us_?"   
Alastor spoke, announcing himself with something of a chuckle, quickly drawing his knife from his pocket, inspecting it as he held it in the air.

Anthony raised a brow, his smirk unfaltering as he looked down at the man as he started trying to roll over to get up, almost looking like a turtle stuck on its back.  
He was a bit of a bigger man, grey hair peeking through black. It was almost too funny to Anthony as he stepped forward and put his foot on the man's chest, keeping him down.

"Oh stop, you look _pathetic_. Can't even defend yourself against two 'weak little pansies'."  
Anthony chuckled with a shake of his head.

"Hm, I should have brought something bigger. I could have had quite a bit of fun with this."  
Alastor mused, mainly to himself more than anything, running a careful finger along the tip and side of the blade he held in his hand.   
"But I can't complain really. This is a treat in itself."   
With a shrug, Alastor carefully slid off his jacket, placing it down on the grass before he carefully knelt down beside the man. 

Alastor could feel his fingers twitching, itching to decimate this man in the most brutal of ways, but he also knew that he had to be careful of the blood. He didn't want to get too much on either himself or Anthony.

"Ah well, all things come to an end eventually. Life, especially."   
Alastor smiled simply, gripping the knife and very slowly driving it into the man's left shoulder, relishing in the sounds of the blade pushing through clothes and flesh, and the cries that followed.   
"Quiet that incessant crying of his, will you Anthony my love? It's hardly pleasant. A hand to his mouth will do."

Anthony nodded, kneeling down now to the left and firmly pressing the palm of his hand to the man's mouth, muffling his sputters and grunts as blood oozed from the fresh wound.  
The blonde's green eyes found their way to Alastor's face, seeing that beautiful smile and pushing up his cheeks.

All of this because of something someone of no significance to either of them had said. It made Anthony's heart melt with appreciation as he realized how much he really meant to Alastor.

Leaning forward a little, Anthony used his free hand to cup Alastor's cheek and placed a quick but meaningful kiss to his lips.  
"God, I love you..."  
He whispered.

Alastor, as he slowly let go of the knife in the man's shoulder, leaving it in though, made sure that the drunk was witnessing as he leaned into his lover's hand, kissing him back gently.   
"I love you, mon amour."   
He whispered back, slowly pulling away and gripping the knife again, twisting it and pushing it in further, right to the hilt now.

The man growled into Anthony's hand as he watched, clearly unhappy with the sight above him.  
As Alastor twisted his knife deeper, the man grunted and started to try pushing Anthony off of him but for some reason he couldn't move, as if he was pinned down by an invisible force.  
The man struggled a little more before opening his mouth and bit Anthony's palm.

The blonde pulled his hand back and clenched his teeth.  
"Figlio di una puttana, vai a farti fottere-!"  
[Son of a bitch, get fucked-!]  
He growled in reply, balling his fist and punching the drunk right in the nose, breaking it and causing it to bleed before putting his other hand back over the man's mouth.

Eyes widening a little in shock as Anthony pulled his hand back, clear teeth marks indented in his palm, Alastor sneered.   
"Comment oses-tu."   
[How dare you.]  
He growled in response towards the man, practically ripping the knife out of his shoulder and driving it forcefully into his other shoulder multiple times now.

Anthony simply watched, making sure to look deep into the man's eyes to see the pain and discomfort in them. He made sure to lean down a little closer and make sure the man saw that he was being watched by one of the 'disgusting creatures' he hated to the point of death threats.

Alastor had had enough of this man. Sure, he had initially wanted this kill to be slow so that blood would not get everywhere, but alas the man could not behave.   
As he drove the knife multiple times into the victim's body, Alastor made sure he didn't just aim for the shoulder now. He viscously drove the blade across the man's collarbone, to his upper chest before finally pausing before the knife could be lodged into the man's throat.

Blood stained the air, Alastor's smile nothing short of insane as small chuckles of happiness left his grinning lips.  
"C'est ce que mérite les porcs comme toi."   
[This is what pigs like you deserve.]  
He spat down at the drunk, grabbing him by his hair and forcefully shoving his head down into the dirt below.

"Tu me dégoutes."   
[You disgust me.]  
Smile something of a terrifying sneer, Alastor quickly raised the knife into the air again, a flash of red, the brunette's shadowy entity right there in front of him. 

It stared down at him in pride, in excitement, and in chittering joy as it grabbed its own face, back bending in an arch, terrifyingly long branches extending from the entity's forehead as its entire form began to change.   
Those branches resembled antlers to an alarming degree- and with claws and fangs to match, the entity hung over Alastor with a smile as he brutally drove the knife into the man's throat for the final time. A spew of blood followed.

Anthony watched with widened eyes, almost in a trance as he watched the man's life wither away in his grasp, taking his hand away from the drunk's mouth once he'd fallen more or less silent aside from the gurgling coming from the blade in his throat.

Anthony leaned in closer but as he did, Alastor unexpectedly pulled the knife back again, the blade swiping across the blonde's right cheek.   
He reeled back quickly with a quiet hiss, a hand coming up to hold the warm spot on his face that seemed to become wet with red.

Alastor was in too much of a daze as he pulled his knife back, plunging it back in with a smile over and over before he eventually grew tired. Splatters of blood marked Alastor's face as he lowered the knife with bloodied hands, slowly looking over his shoulder at Anthony once he noticed he had moved away.

It took him a few moments, his chest breathing heavily as he simply gazed at his lover, his eyes slowly widening, smile faltering as he noticed the hand that Anthony had to his cheek.   
"Anthony-"   
Alastor spoke, turning himself and reaching out for the hand to his face.

The contact from the blade only startled him, not having felt anything remarkable, so he wasn't entirely certain if any damage had been done. Pulling his hand back, Anthony looked at the blood on his hand, unsure if it was the victim's or his own considering he couldn't see his own face.   
He looked at Alastor for a moment and then his eyes lowered to the ground as he brought his hand back, brushing his fingers against his cheek. He winced, feeling the sting of a cut on his flesh.

Finding Alastor's eyes again with his own, Anthony exhaled.  
"It's just a scratch-"

A sudden and rather unexpected wave of guilt suddenly washed over Alastor as he got a look at the wound _he_ had inflicted on Anthony, even if it was both an accident, and rather small. 

"Anthony, I am _so_ sorry."   
Alastor quickly spoke, wiping at the wound, blood coming away.   
"It's not deep, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done this while you were around... I could have hurt you even more."

Anthony closed his eyes and smiled, shaking his head as he leaned into Alastor's hand.  
"Al, amore, it's alright."  
He chuckled lightly. It was cute how quickly Alastor's demeanor changed from murderous rampage to soft and sweet.

Anthony looked down at his own hands that were covered in red and wiped them on the corpse's coat before cupping Alastor's cheeks.  
"I'm alright. I promise."  
He continued reassuring.  
"It was an accident. I know ya didn't do it on purpose."

Wiping his hands as well on the dead body's clothing, Alastor then wiped at his face slightly with his own sleeves as he took a breath.   
"I still harmed you."   
He spoke, looking over to Anthony again, reaching out for his other cheek, brushing away a small spot of blood with his thumb.   
"So once again, I apologize. I was blinded by both anger and bloodlust, clearly."

Anthony chuckled again; his smile wide.  
"Apology accepted, amore."  
He replied, knowing Alastor was sorry and wasn't going to stop apologizing.  
"I didn't feel it when it happened."  
The blonde sighed and leaned in, kissing Alastor's lips softly.   
"I love you."

Alastor looked down at himself, blood staining his white shirt, glancing upwards as the kiss was placed, a smile of appreciation lifting his lips now.   
"Do I have much blood on my face?"   
He then asked, rubbing at his cheek again with his now bloody shirt sleeve.

Anthony huffed a laugh, nodding.  
"Yes, yes you do."  
He replied, unrolling his own sleeves and using the bottoms to wipe the blood from his lover's cheeks, nose and forehead.   
"Why ya gotta be such a mess, huh?"  
He teased with a grin, wiping one last bit of Alastor's neck.   
"Next time, we should bring a change of clothes along or somethin'."

Alastor let Anthony help with wiping any blood on his face, the brunette chuckling a little as he realized just how much had still been there.   
"Perhaps, however, I didn't plan on this, this evening. But if I do plan on it, then I think a change of clothes would be wise."   
He nodded, slowly standing from where he'd knelt down beside the corpse.   
"Let's get you back to the hotel, hm? It's quite late."

Anthony stood as well, rolling his sleeves back up to hide the blood on the ends. He would get rid of the shirt later.   
"Shame ya can't come up t' my room with me."  
He sighed, wrapping his arms around Alastor's neck as he leaned up to place a sweet kiss to his lips again.

Alastor softly kissed back, smiling gently with a nod.   
"I know. I would love to, don't get me wrong, however, we have to be careful. The hotel is already suspicious as it is. I can't imagine that their suspicions would be at ease if I both stayed the night in your room and walked into the lobby in the current state that I am."   
He laughed against Anthony's lips, kissing him once more before pulling away and grabbing his jacket from the ground. 

Anthony really did hate that the hotel was on their case. He did have an alternate idea but figured it better to not try their luck. He could admit now that his less-than-sober ideas weren't always the brightest.

Digging around in his jacket pocket as he slipped it on, Alastor pulled out a handkerchief and wiped down his bloodstained knife. However, just as he was about to walk away from the body, one more idea struck.   
"You don't happen to have a piece of paper on you? Your notebook perhaps?"

Anthony raised a brow, taking a small step back as he patted himself down before reaching into his pocket.  
"Yeah, but... why?"  
He asked, handing over the requested items.

Taking the notebook with a nod, Alastor opened it up to the last page, carefully pulling out a single page of paper before handing the book back.   
"Nothing particularly interesting."   
He hummed, quickly kneeling down again and using the corpse to lean on as he wrote a small note, nothing fancy. Tucking the paper into the front breast pocket of the drunk's jacket, he stood.   
"Let's go."

Anthony pocketed the notebook and pen again, brows furrowed as they started walking.  
"What uh... what didja write?"  
He asked, looking back at the body and then up at Alastor, stopping him for a moment to cover the bits of blood on his shirt with the jacket.  
"Such a mess-"  
He tutted.

Alastor was silent as they left the body, carefully scanning the area as they exited through the thick coverage of the trees, still no one around.   
"Oh don't worry, you'll see."   
He spoke with a small smirk, arms resting behind his back as he walked on.


	47. Chapter 47

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Tuesday, August 7th, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Rosie awoke early as per her usual routine on a wonderful day of a quiet household, got herself cleaned up, and ready to go out for breakfast at her favorite spot.  
As she was seated near a window with her morning tea and the newspaper, the woman gave a soft hum, the headline already catching her interest.

_ Man found killed in Louis Armstrong Park _

Rosie carefully pushed her tea aside and picked the paper up without a second thought, turning to the page with the story so she could read about the juicy details.

_"The man, identified as Joseph Armond, was found murdered in Louis Armstrong Park at 2:27 am. The cause of death was clear to be an abundant number of stab wounds to his shoulders and throat. Armond has been taken to be further analyzed._  
_A note was found in Armond's pocket, presumably addressed to the officers who rushed to the scene-"_

Rosie's eyes narrowed, looking over the pictures provided on the page now. Of course, they wouldn't show a direct corpse in the paper, something Rosie always hated, but they did show the corpse covered in the classic white sheet and the note in a separate picture beside it. It was messily written, but she knew that handwriting.

Quickly rising from her seat again, she left her tea untouched on the table with the newspaper tightly in her grasp. She knew exactly who did it, and that someone happened to break one of the key rules.

The woman found herself in the Bywater Quarter rather quickly, marching her way to Alastor's house, knocking on the door in a bit of a fit.

Amélie was actually about to head out to work, having had breakfast with her son and Anthony. She had a long day ahead of her, having her shift at the hospital and then further training afterward with the midwives. There was a woman due any day now that they were tending to and that in itself was taking a lot of her time. After that, she had plans to visit a friend of hers, so she would be out quite late.  
The knock took her by surprise, brushing herself down before opening the door to see Rosie.  
Amélie's chin raised, as did Rosie's.

Alastor looked to Anthony as the knock at the door sounded out, raising a brow. Anthony had been here quite a while now, having come over early, which was of course completely fine by him. He, his lover, and Amélie had all shared a lovely breakfast together, Alastor and Anthony planning to spend the day together, to no one's surprise.

"Ah, Amélie. A pleasure. I need to speak to Alastor immediately."  
Rosie stated.

"I thought my stance on you being here was made clear, Rosalie."  
Amélie replied.

"I'm afraid I haven't the time for this childish banter this morning. The matter is quite important."  
Rosie replied. She knew very well that she wasn't to come near this place, of course, why would she? It was quite small and cramped compared to her own home.  
"Please, we can have this little squabble later. You've obviously got work to get to."  
She said, noting the uniform.

Amélie's brows knitted together and her shoulders raised in agitation before turning her head towards the kitchen where the two men were.  
"Alastor, there's someone here for you."  
She called before stepping aside.

Rosie said no more as she stepped into the house and further into the hallway. It had been a long while since she was last here and she quite honestly didn't miss it.

Amélie closed the door, not leaving quite yet. She still had time before the streetcar to the French Quarter made it to the stop. She wanted to keep an eye on Rosie. Her trust for the woman was clearly next to none.

It was the voices in the hallway that caught Alastor's attention, the man sighing as he stepped away from Anthony and out into the hallway.  
The cause of all the noise was not who he had expected.

"Ah, Rosie. Quite the unusual surprise."  
Alastor butted in as he glanced out into the hallway, looking between the two women, having heard their squabbling quite clearly from where he and Anthony had been cleaning away in the kitchen.  
"We were just all having breakfast. Have you eaten? I'm sure whatever you have to say can wait, hm?"  
Given that Rosie was here, he could only presume that it had something to do with the previous night's events, and if they were to be discussed, then Alastor wanted to wait until his mother had at least left the house for work.

Rosie knew that Amélie would have to leave before they would be able to have the full and proper conversation, so she simply shook her head.  
"No, I was about to eat but rushed over as soon as I read the news."  
She explained.  
"Oh, it's _horrible_! Joseph was a close acquaintance of mine and a good man."  
All lies, of course. She didn't know the man and didn't care to know him either.

" _That's_ what you came all this way for?"  
Amélie spoke up, arms crossed over her chest as she stayed by the door.  
"You couldn't have perhaps called?"

Rosie kept her back to Amélie, rolling her dark eyes and snarling silently to herself.  
"Amélie, I don't want to be here anymore than you want me here."  
She began, relaxing her face into something a little softer and almost grieving.  
"But I'm sure you'll understand that I have no one else to turn to in my time of need. Madeline is across the city and-"

"I don't have time for this. _You_ married her off, so that is all on your own shoulders."  
Amélie finally huffed and picked up her bag.  
"Alastor, Anthony, behave yourselves today please."  
She called so Anthony could hear.

"Yes ma'am!"  
Anthony called from where he was, busy on cleaning the dishes currently.

Rolling his eyes at the two women, Alastor simply walked away back into the kitchen, wishing his mother a good day as he heard her leaving and calling out to them.

Of course, Alastor didn't believe Rosie's sorrow over losing her supposed friend for a single second. He knew that she was just playing it up while Amélie was around.  
"So, care to explain why you're here?"  
Alastor asked, knowing that Rosie was close behind him.

Rosie swiftly came up behind the man, giving Anthony a nod of acknowledgment just as he did.  
"Yes, I'm here to tell you how _reckless_ you are."  
The woman said before lifting the paper and smacking the side of Alastor's head with it, then held it so he could see.

Alastor raised his hands defensively, ducking away from the newspaper as it smacked his head, the brunette frowning at the woman's words that followed.

Anthony simply turned away and continued with the dishes, his shoulders raising slightly as if he were a turtle trying to hide in his shell.

"What was one of the rules I gave you? Granted, your handwriting was rather sloppy, assuming you had been out for drinks and used an unsteady surface to write on, but it's still clearly your writing!"  
Rosie scolded.

"Yes, it was my writing." 

Alastor clarified, looking over to Anthony.  
"And I was perhaps intoxicated at the time, but I know what I did and I don't take it back."  
Referring to the note that he'd written and placed on the corpse, of course.  
"Nothing will be traced back to me regardless. I don't understand your anger, Rosie dear."

Rosie brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose and inhaled.  
"Alastor, the note in itself is enough to identify you. Something like this could very well be your undoing."

"Tell me, Rosie. Did the note happen to have either my name or address on it? Did it have any identifying lines of information on either myself or Anthony? I do not recall doing such a thing." Alastor hummed confidently, grabbing some of the cutlery that had just been washed, putting them away in a drawer. 

"No, but one of these days they're going to start using an ounce of whatever brain they have and you're going to get yourself caught by pulling stupid things like this."  
She sighed, shaking her head before turning to Anthony.  
"I apologize, Anthony. I didn't mean to interrupt a peaceful morning."

Anthony's shoulders lowered again and turned his head to face the woman.  
"Hm? Oh, it's alright. We-"

"What's happened to your face?"  
Rosie cut in once she saw the scratch on the blonde's right cheek.

"Oh, nothin'. It was an accident."  
Anthony replied with a sheepish smile, looking to Alastor for a moment.  
Amélie had asked the same question and got the same response. She took it upon herself to clean it a little to make sure it wouldn't become infected, which was nice of her.

Looking to Anthony as the scratch on his cheek was mentioned, Alastor's lips pursed.  
"Yes, it was just an accident. Nothing too serious, and it's not deep either. It won't scar."  
He spoke on, still continuing to try convincing himself that Anthony's injury had been something completely accidental, which it had been, and that he had meant no harm by it, which he hadn't.  
"Anthony is fine. Aren't you Anthony?"

Anthony nodded with a smile.  
"Good as gold."  
He replied, starting to gather some of the plates and stack them up.

Rosie's eyes narrowed slightly as she caught a glimpse of something on Anthony's collarbone. It was covered by his shirt, but the top two buttons were undone as they usually were and she could see from the angle she stood at.  
She cleared her throat and looked at Alastor, seeing an almost similar mark peeking out over his collar, bringing her hand up to Alastor's back and dragged her nails across the man's shoulder blades.

About to help in grabbing some of the other plates from Anthony, it was a good thing that Alastor didn't. Given that he was wearing no jacket, the sudden feeling of Rosie's nails digging into his shoulder blades was quite an alarming one. 

"Rosie-"  
Alastor hissed, the marks that Anthony had both bitten and scratched into his skin a few days ago, still healing.  
"Can you _please_ refrain from doing such a thing. Thank you."  
His eyes narrowed as he pulled up the collar of his shirt, stepping away from the woman to put the remaining plates away.

Rosie's lips curled into a smug little smirk.  
"Ah ha, just as I thought."  
She nodded, moving back over to the newspaper and picked it up, rolling it tightly before moving to stand behind Anthony, smacking him on the rear with it.

If Anthony happened to have anything in his hands, he would have dropped them; or thrown them, rather.  
"Ah- che cazzo?!"  
[What the hell?!]  
He yelped, leaping away from the woman and almost right into Alastor as he rubbed the cheek she hit.  
Rosie _really_ didn't know any boundaries, did she?

Alastor held a hand out for Anthony to steady him from where he'd practically jumped up in the air, the brunette shooting Rosie a slight scowl, still not understanding why she was here other than to scold him, and why she'd just scratched him and smacked his lover.

Rosie's smug expression only intensified, raising her chin before slowly nodding with a curt hum. Plenty of information had been gathered. It wasn't particularly useful information, but it did confirm her suspicion.  
"I see. Well, I've said all I've come here to say and gained more intel than I bargained for."

Anthony's brows knitted together as he then looked up at Alastor, almost as if asking if he knew what that was about.

"Would you care to give an explanation, Rosie? Or have you really come here to only scold me over something trivial, and harm both Anthony and I for no apparent reason?" 

He sounded a little irritated now, and rightfully so.

"Hm? Oh! Yes, I just came here to warn you. Long story short, don't write notes."  
Rosie said, having forgotten why she came here in the first place for a moment, now moving out of the kitchen and back towards the door.  
"You're not going to listen to me anyway."

Glancing to Anthony with a small shake of his head, Alastor quickly left the kitchen and stepped out into the hallway, arms crossed in front of him.  
"I suppose that's it then, hm?"  
Alastor called out, looking down towards Rosie's feet, eyes rolling slightly at the sight of shoes on inside the house.

Rosie paused where she stood just at the door as if thinking it over.  
"Hm... I thought there was something else that I had been meaning to tell you, but I suppose that'll be it for now. Don't think you're off the hook with this though."  
She replied, opening the door. She was in too much of a hurry to remember to take her shoes off before entering the home. She knew it was a big part of the voodoo practice to take one's shoes off before entering the home of a practitioner.

"If I remember the other thing, I'll seek you out later."  
She nodded, seeing that there were a few officers wandering the neighborhood now.  
"Prepare yourself."  
She stated as she finally stepped out and closed the door behind her.

Alastor looked past Rosie as she left his home, spotting some officers talking to neighbors, others walking up and down the street. It was clear they were just asking for general information relating to the previous night's murder, something that was usual, so he wasn't too worried.

"Good day, Rosie."  
Alastor called before closing the door behind her, heaving a heavy sigh before turning around.

Anthony stood behind Alastor just down the hallway, looking at him with an expression that held a hint of concern.  
"Should I... go hide? Just in case?"  
The blonde asked, having seen the officers roaming. He didn't want them thinking anything. Needless to say, he was a bit nervous. Law enforcement always gave him a strange pang of nerves; probably because he knew he had done a lot of wrong things in his life.

Alastor just shook his head, walking over to Anthony now.  
"It's alright. They won't be coming in. If they do knock on the door, I'll keep them outside."  
He smiled, moving into the kitchen to check that everything from breakfast had been put away neatly- which it thankfully had.  
"I still don't quite understand Rosie's concern. It's as I told her, there is no way anyone will trace anything back to me."

Anthony gave a bit of a nod and, bringing his arms up to wrap around Alastor's neck briefly and placing a quick kiss to the man's lips.  
"So, y' know what all that was about? I ain't exactly fond of havin' my ass whipped with the newspaper-"

Alastor could only chuckle- at both the kiss and at Anthony's question.  
Knowing Rosie all too well, Alastor had quite a few theories as to what Rosie might have been insinuating when she mentioned 'gaining more intel than she bargained for'.  
"I do believe she worked out that we shared sexual intimacy with each other rather recently. She most likely saw either mine or your marks on our necks and made her assumptions from there. I warned you she can be both assumptious and intrusive at times. She clearly knows no bounds."

Anthony rolled his eyes and huffed.  
"Y' weren't kiddin'."  
With another small sigh, he let Alastor free and brushed himself down.  
"Guess it doesn't matter now. What's the plan for t'day? Aside from possibly some beef with buttons."  
He paused, that having been mafia code. Beef would refer to a problem and a button was one of the many words they used in reference to a police officer.  
"Ah... problem with police, I mean."  
He figured he would clarify. 

Alastor raised a brow at the name Anthony gave the police, chuckling slightly in turn.  
"I quite like that. Beef with buttons, haha."  
He smiled, moving into the lounge now and taking a seat, presuming that Anthony was following along.  
"But yes, the plan for today. Hm, well the carnival is quite soon, so I can imagine that they'll be setting everything up in the field that it's usually in. It may be quite a way away, but you could get a glimpse as to what a carnival actually is before we go."

Anthony took a seat across from Alastor instead of beside him, just in case any officers came to the window.  
"I think that's a good idea."  
He replied with a bit of a smile. It would give him an idea of how big the space would be that he would have to navigate through and scope out the area.

Alastor smiled as Anthony agreed.  
"As I said, it's quite a way to walk especially, but we've got the whole day."  
Glancing to the window, Alastor was able to just about see out onto the pathway, a few officers walking up and down, knocking from door to door.  
"If any of the officers ask us where we were last night, on the bayou will do."  
He thought he'd add, just so they'd have a story to tell if anyone asked them on the spot.

Anthony nodded and looked to the clock. It was just about to hit eight and they did have all day, plus the next. It was only Tuesday, after all. It must have been a big event to take so long to set up.

"Do we wanna head out now then?"  
He asked, avoiding looking out the window as not to look suspicious to any officers who happened to possibly look in.

Glancing once more out the window, Alastor nodded, pressing his hands together and standing.  
"Yes, I think that would be wise."  
Pausing a moment to look over in the direction of the kitchen, he quietly hummed in thought.  
"Say, how would you feel about a picnic? We have some things in the pantry that would make for a nice feast I think."

"Picnic?"  
Anthony repeated. He had never had one before; unless you counted lunch at the graveyard that one time years ago.  
"I don't see why not."  
He smiled, nodding as he too stood.

After packing a small lunch into a basket, the two men were about to leave when they happened to open the door, the same police officer from the night before at the speakeasy standing just about to knock.  
It took a great deal for Anthony to keep himself from stumbling away.

"Oh, morning. I'm sure you've noticed but we're looking for answers in regards to the murder of Joseph Armond. Neither of you would happen to have any information, would you?"  
The officer asked, keeping his chin up. Something in the way he held himself said that he remembered them from the bar.

Alastor's eyes narrowed in the slightest as he tipped his hat at the officer, waiting until the man stepped aside so that they could grab their shoes.

"Good morning officer. As much as the two of us would like to assist, unfortunately, we weren't anywhere near where Mr. Armond was killed last night. We were up the Bayou."  
Alastor replied with much confidence, his own chin raising too.  
Of course, whether this officer had been too intoxicated at the time or not, there was a high chance that he remembered seeing Anthony and Alastor at the underground bar the previous night. It was just a matter of whether he would point that out or not.

The officer's eyes narrowed slightly as if to tell them that he knew that was a lie, but he himself was in the wrong as well. They all had partaken in illegal acts the night before, but the man couldn't remember much after the greeting Alastor had given, so naturally he didn't really remember seeing them leave.  
The truth was that he had an exceptional amount to drink that night, Alastor and Anthony showing up near the middle of it all. In fact, he was still quite extremely hungover.

With a nod and tip of his own hat, the officer backed up, concluding that it was best not to pry considering he could lose his occupation quite easily if they were to announce his activities.  
"Well, thank you for your honesty. Good day, gentlemen."  
He said curtly before stepping off of the porch and making his way back down the street.

Anthony cleared his throat and followed behind Alastor, slipping his own shoes on.  
"Smart move."  
He said softly.

Watching as the officer walked away, Alastor quickly put on and tied his shoes too.  
"Yes, I know."  
He hummed, making sure that Anthony was out of the house before he closed the door.  
Reaching into one of his pockets and pulling out a pocket watch, he glanced at it for a brief second before closing it and putting it back.  
"We should go. The streetcar will be arriving shortly."

Nodding in agreement, Anthony started off of the porch and out to the street towards the stop.

Once they found themselves all the way across the city, on the border of the Mid-city and Lakeview districts, the two men got off of the streetcar at near ten o'clock.  
Anthony certainly hadn't been in this part of the city before, but it was quite beautiful; like every other part of New Orleans.

As they started to walk, Anthony following Alastor's lead, the blonde was looking around quite excitedly at all of the new surroundings.

It wasn't very often that Alastor came to this part of the city, it being quite a lot smaller than the French Quarter, but he still knew it well, and he knew the way to where the carnival would be setting up too, even if it still was quite a walk away.

Glancing across at Anthony as they walked, Alastor couldn't help but smirk a little in response to the clear excitement on Anthony's face, his dimples shining away.  
"You haven't been to this part of the city before, hm?"  
Alastor asked, their basket of food in his grip.

Anthony's brows raised as he acknowledged he was being spoken to as he continued to look around.  
"No, just been wherever ya happened t' take me. Lawrence didn't ever come this way either."  
He replied, finally looking at the other man.  
It had been a long time since he thought about Batallier; the reason he and Alastor had the chance to meet in the first place.

There were a few small stores along the sides of the street the two of them were walking down, and while there weren't too many people around, the sound of a newspaper boy reading out the headlines of the paper that morning could be heard. That gave Alastor a thought. Since Joseph had been his victim, he would need to buy a newspaper to document that.

It also made Anthony think. He didn't know what Alastor's note was about yet. He didn't give himself time to stop and read anything that morning.  
He didn't really want to, considering the circumstances of the man's end and what lead up to it, but the note made him wonder only because it caused Rosie to show up out of nowhere.

Coming up to the little boy, Anthony pulled out his wallet and handed him a few coins.

"Thanks, sir! Have a good one!"  
The boy grinned, handing Anthony one of the papers in exchange.

"You too, kid."  
The blonde replied, continuing their venture as he opened the newspaper to the story.

Alastor simply walked on as Anthony stopped to grab a newspaper, knowing that he would get one. He could tell that he was curious too.  
Once Anthony caught up, Alastor made sure to read the paper over his shoulder, smile growing at the front page title. 

"Now, let's see what Rosie was so worked up about."  
He muttered, skimming through the paper over Anthony's shoulder, the article simply accounting what had been found, who the victim was, where he had been found, and... the note left with the body, of course.

The grainy photograph of the sloppily written note read:  
_'Too drunk to solve this one? Or was he too drunk to save himself?'_

Anthony's eyes narrowed once he saw the note, stopping in his tracks and slowly looked at Alastor.  
"Oh ho, you're real lucky with this one, Al."  
He tutted with a shake of his head.

Of course, this was no place to talk about the details, but even Anthony knew how lucky they were.  
"If they weren't there, they'd take ya right t' the clubhouse for questioning."  
'Clubhouse' was another term the mafia liked to use, referring to a police station.

"Anthony, my darling, if they weren't there then they wouldn't have understood my little note in the first place. In fact, I might not have even written such a thing."  
Alastor responded almost smugly, eyes back on the road ahead.  
"Do you mind if I keep that news article? I tend to collect them as a sort of... trophy I suppose. And it's a way for me to keep track of how _many_."

Anthony sighed and closed the paper, folding it a few times before opening the basket and put it inside.  
"No more zozzled fun. I swear if ya get caught-"  
He stopped himself, pursing his lips together with a finger mere inches away from Alastor's nose.

Alastor looked to the finger that was pointed at him, chuckling slightly.

"Y' ain't even supposed t' keep things like this."  
The blonde added, lowering his hand and put both in his pockets, starting to walk again.

"Alright, mother."  
Alastor grinned, chin raising and smile still as smug as anything.  
"I know it's quite strange to keep such a thing, but I've been doing it for years, my dear. Rosie even gives me newspapers of the kills that I sometimes forget I even do."

Anthony rolled his eyes and sighed.  
"It's all over with now."  
He said.

Even if Alastor did get caught, Anthony would have been willing to pay for a lawyer for him and make sure he walked free.  
With his profession, Anthony had all of the right connections and knew what to do if things were to go sour; even though he was a nervous wreck himself when something came up.

Alastor simply nodded. He knew very well that with every kill, came the risk of getting caught somehow, but despite that, he was almost numb to the anxiety and worry that came with the possibility of getting caught, having been doing this for years. Alastor was very lucky, to say the least, and he supposed that Rosie played a large part in his luck too.

"The streets will come to an end soon, then it will be mainly trees the rest of the way there."  
Alastor spoke, looking up to the blue sky, not a cloud in sight.

Anthony decided to let the previous topic go and nodded, his eyes wandering once again until they caught sight of a poster on one of the passing buildings.  
Red, white, and gold were the featured colors, which caught the blonde's eye immediately.

"Circus?"  
He questioned, reading the title as they passed it.  
"Y' never mentioned the circus. I thought it was just a carnival. Or are they the same thing?"  
He asked, looking at Alastor again.

Attention falling to Anthony, Alastor raised a brow, looking over his shoulder at the poster too.  
"Hm, I didn't know there would be a circus too."  
He replied.  
"They usually come here once a year, but I don't believe I've heard of that one coming here before."

Anthony looked over the poster once more, seeing men and women all across the poster doing incredible things with animals big and small.

"Avalon Circus..."  
The blonde said under his breath, taking note to remember it. He'd want to tell Molly about it later and maybe even look out for it again in the future just in case they happened to travel to New York.  
It definitely looked like an interesting time.

Alastor continued walking on a bit more before speaking up again.  
"I don't suppose you've been to a circus before? They're quite magnificent. I used to go when I was younger with Mama once a year, however I haven't been in a long while."  
He smiled.  
"It will be nice for us to go together, my dear."

Anthony shook his head.  
"Didn't even know what they were 'till ya brought it up last week."  
He would see posters looking something like that one around New York on a rare occasion but never looked much into it or went to see what it was about.  
Just from the poster alone, he found himself rather excited about it.

Once again, Anthony found himself having to restrain his affections. He had the urge to link arms with Alastor and kiss his cheek while they walked. Even in the wooded area that they were headed into, he knew they weren't safe outside.

Alastor glanced at Anthony slightly, wanting to take his hand, but until they were quite far into the trees, that wouldn't, unfortunately, be possible. Even then, there could be people in the forest, out on a picnic just as they were.  
"I have a feeling you'll really like both the carnival _and_ the circus."  
Alastor smiled as he kept his lover's gaze for a few moments.

Anthony could feel Alastor's desires just from the look he was given, and that was enough to hold him over for now.  
As they entered the thinly wooded area, Anthony started searching for the perfect spot for them to sit and eat. He wasn't too hungry considering the breakfast had been filling that morning, but after a near hour and a half of traveling the city, he was ready to rest a bit.

Finally making it to the outer skirt of the trees, Anthony caught sight of a bunch of tents and stands being set up in the field.  
It was interesting to see, but his eyes seemed to land on the biggest red and white tent in the works of being put up across the way, many people helping with it.

"Is that it? The circus?"  
The blonde asked, looking over his shoulder at his lover.

Alastor too looked to everything that was being set up. From a distance at least, the people in the field looked so tiny, but the circus tent in comparison was still huge.  
"Indeed it is. Everything will be happening inside of there come Thursday."  
He nodded, looking at their surroundings, a few overhanging trees above them making a pretty decent shaded spot to rest.  
"Are you hungry at all?"

Looking back out to the tent with a small smile, Anthony shrugged.  
"Not too hungry, no, but we came all this way with food so might as well have some of it."  
He said, taking his hands out of his pockets and moved to sit at the base of the tree.

Alastor followed Anthony's lead, setting the basket of food down beside them as he sat down beside the Italian with a sigh, stretching his arms and legs out.  
"Well, it's a good thing I didn't pack a whole banquet, haha. You can snack on a few things if you wish."  
Opening up the basket, Alastor took out the newspaper and placed it to the side, taking his hat off and letting that rest on top of the paper so that it wouldn't blow away if a breeze were to pass by.

Anthony smiled a bit, simply watching his lover for a few moments while he unpacked, then looked around for anyone that could have been nearby.  
The people setting up were all so far away so they wouldn't see or hear anything.

"Hey, so ah... think your shadow friend could do me a little favor?"  
He asked, still looking around. He wasn't sure if asking favors was entirely allowed or if he was just stepping out of line with it, but figured it would be worth a shot to ask.

Glancing over his shoulder, Alastor pursed his lips together in thought for a second.  
"Hm, you could try. I haven't necessarily asked it any favors before, so I don't know if it would work, but there's no harm in asking. What was the favor?"

"I'd just wanna ask it t' make sure we're safe. Even for a few minutes."  
The blonde replied, looking into the basket and pulled out a slice of cucumber to nibble on.  
"I dunno if I'd have t' give it somethin' in return though. I ain't got much t' offer."

Alastor smiled softly at that.  
"Well, I suppose there's only one way to know if it takes requests."  
He chuckled, and just as he did, that familiar feeling hit of all the hairs on the back of his neck sticking up in a cold chill.  
Glancing to the side, upon the trunk of the tree, the shadow stood in waiting. It had at least heard them.

Alastor was slightly skeptical about seeing the entity again, especially after the form it had shown the night before- however, here it was, looking exactly the same as it always had before all of that. Just like him.

As Alastor looked back, Anthony followed his gaze. Those two glowing red eyes staring directly at them. He was still a little unnerved by the shadow's presence even still, but he wasn't leaping away anymore. Progress.

Anthony finished his bite of cucumber and cleared his throat.  
"So ah-"  
He felt kind of ridiculous, talking to a shadow, but pushed through anyway.  
"I dunno what the rules are or nothin', but wouldja be able t' maybe keep a lookout for us? Y' did it b'fore, so if ya could do it again, that would be real swell."

The shadow was still for a few moments after Anthony's request, it's smile slowly growing until it gave an equally as slow, singular nod. Alastor didn't know if the entity would ask for anything in return, and what that would entail, but for now, Alastor appreciated the lookout.

Nodding at the shadow, it gently faded away, red eyes lingering for a second longer until they disappeared too.  
"I suppose that was a yes then."  
Alastor smiled, looking back over to Anthony.

Anthony nodded, his shoulders visibly relaxing.  
"Just a few seconds t' give it a chance."  
He said, taking the last bite of the bit of cucumber. That was his way of telling Alastor to prepare himself for his affections.  
Due to the crazy morning, there wasn't much time for them to be alone yet that day, meaning restraints were in place, even while at Alastor's house. He still didn't want to make Amélie uncomfortable with any of this.

Swallowing, the blonde took a moment to look around for himself before throwing himself at Alastor, immediately peppering kisses all over his face with a big smile.

Alastor too, looked around quickly, scanning their surroundings and the field where the circus was below. Before he could even turn around again to look back at Anthony, he was falling back against the soft grass in an attack of small and gentle kisses and he embraced every single one of them.

Laughing softly, kissing back where he could, Alastor let his arm rest over Anthony's back in a half sort of hug.  
"I'm sorry I could not show my affections towards you today."  
He grinned, letting his forehead rest against his lover.  
"And even last night at the bar, it was difficult."

Anthony simply hummed as he continued smothering his lover in every ounce of pent up desire he had, shaking his head once the flow started to ease.

"Take this time t' make up for it."  
He said before placing a lingering kiss to Alastor's lips.

Alastor leaned into the kiss as it was pressed to his lips, the brunette reaching both hands up now, resting them either side of Anthony's face, holding him there gently. 

"My Anthony..."  
Alastor whispered as he pulled away for breath, gently trailing a thumb down one of the blonde's cheeks.

"Dimples 'n all."  
Anthony replied, his smile widening as if to show them off and prove that he was 'his Anthony'. 

Alastor simply held him close, arms wrapping around him now.  
"Dimples and all..."  
He muttered with a nod, eyes closing briefly.

"Oh, how your Anthony loves you so."  
He whispered, letting his cheek rest in the crook of Alastor's neck.

"And oh how your Smiles loves you so. So much."  
Alastor replied.

Anthony inhaled, taking in Alastor's wonderfully familiar scent before parting his lips and gave the collar of the man's shirt a small nibble.

His eyes slowly opened after a moment as he pulled away, now taking this time to look down at his lover.

Alastor once again gave a little chuckle as he noticed Anthony nibbling the collar of his shirt.  
"Why, you really _are_ hungry after all."  
He laughed, reaching a hand up to run through his hair.

Anthony huffed a small laugh and shook his head.  
"Only hungry for my dessert."  
He responded, going back to kissing Alastor's face.  
"My lovely, wonderful, handsome, fantastic dessert."

Alastor could only continue to laugh at that, eyes closing at every kiss to his face.  
"I'm your dessert, hm?"  
He began, leaning up to whisper in Anthony's ear.  
"You're my entire three-course meal, my dear."

Anthony almost froze, slowly pulling away to look down at the man.  
"Oh yeah?"  
He batted, a smirk starting to form over the slightly shocked expression he wore, eyes lidding as he leaned down again.

"Why don't 'cha take a big ol' bite then?"  
He asked, his tone holding more than something teasing. There was definitely some provoking there too as if _daring_ him.

Alastor raised a brow, just shrugging from where he lay on the grass.  
"Hm, I _could_."  
He hummed, eyeing the part of Anthony's neck that was exposed from his shirt.  
"But where's the fun in that."  
Sighing with a grin, Alastor let his head rest back against the grass again.

Anthony's eyes narrowed, his lips pursing together slightly as he started drawing random shapes on Alastor's chest, just over the buttons of his shirt.  
"If y' ain't gunna take a bite, your three-course meal's gunna take a bite outta _you_."  
He hummed as his eyes wandered back out towards the tent still being put up.

Alastor waited until Anthony's attention was elsewhere before he struck, pushing Anthony off of him and rolling them over so that he was on top of the blonde now, looking down at him with nothing short of a grin. 

Anthony gasped and his eyes widened at the sudden swap, but he relaxed again rather quickly with a breathy laugh as his eyes closed.

"Fine."  
Alastor laughed, pressing his lips just underneath Anthony's jaw and gently kissing down until he reached a part of Anthony's collarbone that he knew would still be covered by the other's shirt. Kissing the skin, Alastor gently began to bite a mark into the area, eyes closing.

Anthony appreciated the attention and welcomed this by tilting his chin up and to the side, a shiver running through his body. Of course, he had to bite his lip to make sure he stayed quiet as he was bitten, even if it was gentle.

"You spoil me, Al."  
He breathed, a wide smile curling the corners of the blonde's lips as his back arched slightly.

"It's fun to see you be spoiled."  
Alastor huffed a gentle laugh, slowly pulling back from his lover's neck and adjusting his shirt for him, placing one more kiss to his nose before sitting up.  
"The taste of cucumber on your lips has made me hungry it seems."  
He chuckled, looking to the trunk of the tree again, seeing his shadow standing there once more, nodding.

Anthony was hesitant to let Alastor go so easily but noticed him looking elsewhere so he followed his gaze. He deflated a bit upon seeing that their time was up but figured it was best not to get carried away.

Now shifting to sit up as well, Anthony rummaged around in the basket a bit before pulling out a bread roll, the liverwurst, and a knife.  
"Well, have a snack t' hold ya over for now. I'll make sure your meal is kept nice and hot for later."  
He hummed with a bit of a wink, his smirk returning as he opened the liverwurst and spread some on the roll with the knife.

"Oh, it better be."  
Alastor smirked with a wink in return, looking over the basket and pulling out a slice or two of cucumber, chomping down as he watched Anthony quickly prepare the snacks.

Anthony felt his cheeks warming at the reply even though he tried to keep it contained.  
He took the bite out of his roll and looked out toward the tent again, tilting his head slightly. It was amazing to see such incredible work being done. It almost reminded him of New York, watching the tall, massive buildings being built. Of course, this was different considering it was only a temporary structure, but it seemed to impress him all the more.

Taking the knife, Alastor did as Anthony had and spread some liverwurst onto a bread roll.  
"I wonder what sort of animals the circus will have this time. Or the sorts of acts."  
He spoke, taking a bite of the roll, legs stretching out on the grass.  
"I do quite like the tightrope acts, myself. It requires quite a lot of courage, I'm sure."

Anthony raised a brow and looked over at his lover for a moment, finishing his mouthful before speaking.  
"Saw somethin' with swords and another thing about fire-"  
He paused to clear his throat.  
"Didn't get a real good look but whatever they got, I'm sure it'll be good."  
He nodded, taking another bite.

There was another pause, Anthony tilting his head again.  
"Maybe we could go walk down and take a gander at what we can see."

Taking another bite of the roll, Alastor nodded again.  
"Yes, I'm sure if we jump the fence and look around, no one will mind."  
He smiled, reaching for the picnic basket once again and rummaging around, pulling out a block of cheese and cutting a slice off before adding it into his roll.  
"We might even meet some people who will be performing in the circus, haha."

Anthony leaned back and smiled.  
"That'd be pretty neat."  
He said as he took another bite, humming a bit. It really was a beautiful day and he couldn't have asked for anything better at this point.

About a half an hour to an hour later, time had been lost and no one had been keeping track, they were finishing up their light lunch and packed everything up again, deciding to head down.  
The tent's construction progress had been incredible, seeming like everyone within the organization had a part to play in the setup, some even having fun with it and demonstrating their skills; the acrobats, aerialists, and strong people especially.

As they hopped the fence, Anthony took the basket from Alastor so he could get over too, then started walking slowly to their destination once he was over.

"Thank you, my dear."  
Alastor nodded as Anthony took the basket from him, the brunette jumping down from the fence and onto the grass again. The circus and carnival ground were just behind a small row of shrubbery, large carriages, and trailers lining the area that was designated for the carnival.  
Now that they were closer to the big top though, it looked huge.

Anthony smiled and nodded, continuing on as he swung the basket a bit in his hand.  
He was clearly very excited due to the hop in his step and quickened pace.  
Over their little lunch break, he had seen a lot of really interesting things, even if they were from afar. He could have sworn lions were brought into the tent, people climb the massive poles and pinning the tent to the ground with mallets; it was all pretty amazing to the Italian.

Alastor quietly watched on as Anthony walked with a spring in his step rather happily, something that only added to Alastor's already wide smile. 

"Even if we can get a peek inside, I think that would be just swell."  
He called out to the other as they got closer to the big top.  
"I do believe there looks to be a back entrance just over there. They were moving crates in through there a moment ago."

Anthony looked back at Alastor, a big smile on his face.  
Unfortunately, they seemed to draw attention to themselves as a woman with short auburn hair and thin physique looked over their way and tapped a larger, more muscular woman on the arm and mutter something.  
The larger woman turned to look, long, dark brown braided hair hanging down her back. She put her mallet down and lifted the smaller woman up and onto her shoulder to sit before approaching.  
They both wore tan slacks and white button-up shirts, clearly not their circus costumes if they were part of an act, but everyone was wearing something similar, so it was hard to tell.

"Prostite nas, druz'ya."  
[Excuse us, friends.]  
The muscular woman called in a language Anthony didn't recognize as they came closer, arms crossed over her chest.

Anthony quickly turned and stopped in his tracks as the two women approached. The taller woman was around Alastor's height and the smaller woman, he couldn't be too sure.

"You should not be here."  
The tall woman said, this time in English thankfully, a thick and unmistakable Russian accent flowing through her words.

The woman with shorter hair, from where she sat upon the other woman's shoulder, glared slightly down at both Alastor and Anthony.  
"It's only Tuesday. The show doesn't start until Thursday."  
She spoke, an accent clear in her words too, but it wasn't Russian by any means. 

If he wasn't so fixated on the current situation, Anthony would have picked up on the accent rather quickly.

"We don't want trouble, and we do not want intruders either."  
With that, the smaller woman hopped down off of the shoulder and onto the ground with much ease. She was easily shorter than both Anthony and Alastor but held up as intimidating regardless, arms crossed over her chest.

Alastor simply observed the pair of women, listening to their clear words of concern as he occasionally glanced over to Anthony.  
"Worry not, we were just watching you all set up. My friend here hasn't ever been to a circus before."

The taller woman tilted her head slightly, her shoulders seeming to relax a bit as she noticed Anthony nodding eagerly in agreement with what Alastor was saying.

"You have not been to circus?"  
She repeated softly but loud enough to hear, looking between the two men.  
"He has not been to circus."  
She concluded, looking down at the smaller woman now.

The smaller woman just shook her head, eyes rolling as she took the other woman's arm, pulling her off to the side a second, however still within earshot.  
"Se ti avessi detto che non ho mai visto il circo, mi crederesti?"  
[If I said I've never been to a circus, would you believe me?]

Voice a little quieter now, the smaller woman gently squeezed the other's arm, but with her back to the two men, they couldn't see it.  
"Uno sconosciuto puo dire qualunque cosa, Brania."  
[A stranger can say anything, Brania.]

The taller woman glanced back at the men and offered a small smile, looking to Anthony specifically and then turned back to the conversation.  
"So che non sta mentendo..."  
[I know he isn't lying...]  
She replied.

Because the conversation wasn't so hushed, Anthony understood every word. This was his second language, so he looked back at Alastor for a moment before speaking up.

"So che non ci conosci e le fiducia viene meritata ma non vogliamo causare problemi."  
[I know you don't know who we are and trust is earned, but we're not here to cause trouble.]  
He said, taking a small step forward.

The tall woman, now known as Brania, turned back towards Anthony with raised brows.  
"Ah! Parli Italiano! Loretta, guanda!"  
[Ah! You speak Italian! Loretta, look!]  
She said almost excitedly.

The shorter woman, Loretta respectfully, jumped a little upon learning that one of the men they were talking about could actually understand their conversation, knowing Italian clearly. Regardless, Loretta pulled the taller woman Brania closer to her, eyes narrowing as she switched languages once again.  
"My pozvolyayem im osmatrivat'sya. Vot i vse. Yesli oni chto-to poprobuyut, eto na vas."  
[We let them look around. that's all. If they try something, it's on you.]  
And with that, the shorter woman turned back towards the two men again.

"If you really _are_ just looking around, then that is fine. But we'll be watching."  
She spoke, accent still present.

Brania smiled and gave a bit of a shrug before turning to the men.  
"Stay safe distance. Lions and snakes will bite if too close."  
She said with a chuckle before scooping Loretta up in her arms and placed her on her shoulder again, turning and walking back to their work.

Anthony smiled and nodded.  
"Thank you!"  
He called before turning back to Alastor.  
"Well, I think they got lions and snakes in there."

Laughing, Alastor could only shrug, wondering what type of snakes they would have. He was quite fascinated by them himself, serpents often turning up on his front porch or back yard.

"Hm, what an odd pair."  
Alastor nodded, looking around once again now that they were allowed to.  
"I presume one was speaking Italian? And if I'm not mistaken, the other language was Russian."

"Was that Russian? Italian definitely, but I dunno what Russian sounds like."  
The blonde replied as he looked back towards the two women as they got right back to work, Loretta looking back at them once or twice.

"I've heard Russian before, and it sounded an awful lot like it."  
Alastor shrugged again, quietly observing the two women who were still helping with securing the tent.

"I think they're neat though. I wonder what they do."  
He said with a tilt of his head.

"Well... judging by her muscular figure and tall height for a woman, I'd say that she was some sort of strong woman. And the other? The way she jumped down off of the tall woman's shoulder, and her physique in general, perhaps gymnastics? Acrobatics? I can't say for sure."

Anthony raised a brow and tilted his head slightly as he observed the two women again, nodding a bit.  
"Maybe. "  
Of course, he had no idea what he was saying. He didn't know anything about this sort of thing.

Putting his free hand in his pocket, Anthony turned back to Alastor with a smile.  
"Well, let's take a look, huh?"

"Why yes indeedy."  
Alastor smiled at that, arms resting behind his back as he nodded towards the small back entrance of the tent that had almost been fully put up now.  
Walking through into the big top was always an experience, and while they weren't walking in through the main entrance, it held the same feeling.  
"Well then Anthony, what do you think?"

Anthony was about to tell Alastor that they probably shouldn't go in, feeling like Brania wasn't exactly kidding with the animals they had, but he hesitantly followed anyway.

Once inside of the tent, the first thing Anthony noticed were the three massive cages holding three large maned cats that looked to be resting; regal and content.

Looking around truly was fascinating, more so than when the circus even properly started. This was more real to Alastor.

There were a few people stretching and some more moving somethings around.  
The blonde looked up at his lover for a moment.  
"A lotta people work for the circus, huh?"

"Hm, yes. A lot of people indeed."  
Alastor replied, noticing that now they were inside, they were getting people looking their way now. Some waved, others simply didn't care to bother much, but the majority still seemed to be too busy with what they were working on to notice the two men.

Anthony smiled a little and gave a small wave to those who waved at them, a little nervous about being in there. There could have been a few reasons as to why; the massive cats for example.

He noticed the curtain to what he could assume was the main stage was wide open. There was a large circle being put together with a few more people holding tightly to ropes.  
Of course, this made Anthony curious and prompted him to go and see what was happening there.

As he moved out closer to the larger space, a couple of massive poles stood high and held up the red and white tarp, but upon closer inspection, there were also platforms attached high on the poles. The ropes that the people on the ground held were secured to more people above who were setting up what looked to be bars that would swing and a rope that stretched across, linking the platforms.

Anthony was at a loss for words as he looked up, watching the setup. He didn't seem to care about what was happening on the ground.

As wondrous as the construction of the circus was to Alastor, the simple sight of Anthony at a loss for words, smiling so widely at all that as happening, was enough of a sight for Alastor.  
"It's like nothing you've ever seen, hm?"  
He asked, watching as Anthony's green eyes shone, his dimpled cheeks showing as he grinned widely.  
"Just wait until you see the performances. I'm positive they'll be nothing short of miraculous."

Anthony slowly nodded in reply, keeping his eyes up for a few more moments before they trailed back to Alastor.  
"I can't wait!"  
If his smile could have gotten any bigger, it definitely would have.

He was pulled back to someone calling in Italian from above. He couldn't make out what was said, but it must have been something along the lines of 'I'm ready to come down' because one of the men above started climbing down the pole and all of the others that were up there with him, followed.  
This man in particular had black hair and fairly tanned skin, slim but clearly muscular. He wore the same slacks everyone else wore but presumably took his button-up off, leaving him in a white undershirt, showing off his toned arms and leaving a pretty good idea of what his torso was like.

Alastor took a step back, despite not being near the large pole that aided people from above to get down to the ground.  
Following Anthony's gaze upwards, Alastor raised a brow at the man that began climbing downwards. A large man by all means in the muscular sense, which led Alastor to theorize that he was perhaps a strong man of some sort.

Once the man reached the ground, Alastor couldn't help but continue following Anthony's gaze to the man.

Anthony's eyes seemed to be so focused on this man that he didn't notice him walking over to them until he spoke.

"Greetings!"  
He smiled, an Italian accent lacing the single word.

Alastor raised his chin slightly as the man greeted them, still watching Anthony's eyes as he watched in a clear trance, struggling to find his words which was much to his displeasure.

Anthony shook his head and blinked a few times, coming out of his trance. He was simply amazed at how graceful and easy he had just executed climbing down from a high place.  
"Ah, hi."  
The blonde spoke once he found his words again.

"New recruits, or did you happen to get past our security?"  
The man smiled, stopping in front of the two guests with his hands on his hips, the muscles of his biceps accentuated from the pose.

"We were simply passing by and wanted to look around."  
Alastor stated firmly, lips pursing, eyes narrowing as he held the urge to stand closer to Anthony, even take his hand.

"Ah, Brania is quite soft, so I'm not surprised."  
He chuckled.  
"Ciro. A pleasure to be meeting a few locals personally! We don't get this honor very often."  
He added, extending a hand to Anthony first.

"Oh, I'm actually just visitin'. He's from here though."  
Anthony quickly replied as he shook hands, a small smile coming to his lips.  
"Anthony, and this is Alastor."

Alastor was more or less silent as the man introduced himself as Ciro, Anthony introducing both of them in turn.

"Anthony and Alastor."  
Ciro repeated with a nod, letting go of the blonde's hand before extending a hand to Alastor now.

Alastor watched, in again silence, as Ciro shook Anthony's hand and then went to take his.  
"Yes. A pleasure."  
He spoke, slowly gripping Ciro's hand in a firm handshake before letting go.  
"I suppose you have those large platforms up there to get back to, hm? Don't mind us. We'll just be looking around."

Ciro's brows raised as he looked back up at the platforms.  
"Ah, yes! I was about to change into something a little better suited to test everything."  
He then gave them a nod before continuing on to the back where they had come from, retrieving a duffle bag.  
"If you stick around long enough, I'm sure you'll get to see me and the others test everything out up there, haha! Always a good time!"  
He called as he excused himself, going behind a curtain presumably to change his attire as he said.

Anthony inhaled and looked up at Alastor with a raised brow, lifting a hand to squeeze his arm. The man was tense. Something was wrong.  
"Y' alright?"

It took Alastor a moment to register both the question and squeeze to his arm, his now almost cold stare routed to the curtain that Ciro had just disappeared behind.

"Of course. Just splendid."  
Alastor dismissed, shaking his head and looking back up to all the beams, ropes, and poles towards the top of the tent. He could feel that he was tense, and he was quite certain that Anthony had sensed that- but it could not be helped.

Anthony turned his head slightly, a look of suspicion crossing his face for a moment as he lowered his hand again and put it in his pocket, the other still holding the picnic basket.  
"I don't believe you."  
He stated quietly, catching a glimpse of the two women they ran into outside stepping into the tent. He stepped out of the open curtain and nodded for Alastor to follow so they wouldn't be in the way.  
"What's wrong?"

Alastor followed Anthony as they stepped out of the way of the curtain, noticing one of the women, the shorter one, staring at them briefly with narrowed eyes.  
"It's nothing, Anthony dear."  
Alastor pressed, turning to look back over at the blonde.  
"Trivial matters, hardly anything to be worried about. I'm fine."

Anthony's features became soft and concerned. He knew Alastor was lying and it really did worry him. It was probably something he couldn't talk about in a public setting.

"Do ya wanna go? We can go home now if that's what ya want, I don't mind."  
As much as he wanted to stay, he figured he would at least extend the offer. They would probably be back again before everything got packed up.

Alastor shook his head again, knowing that Anthony was at least enjoying himself and he didn't want to rob him of his enjoyment.  
"No, it's alright. We'll stay as long as you want to. As I said, I'm fine."  
He nodded, looking again over to Brania and Loretta.

After putting some things away, Brania smiled and walked over to them and wrapped her arms around Anthony tightly and lifted him up in something of a big bear hug.

Anthony wasn't expecting this in the least, his focus on Alastor completely so when he was suddenly picked up off the ground squeezed, his eyes widened, legs flailed, and let out a surprised groan as the air was squeezed from his lungs.

Alastor too was shocked as the large woman suddenly lifted Anthony up in her muscular arms, the brunette's eyes widening at the unexpected sight of his lover being picked up so easily.

"Privet, moy drug!"  
The woman laughed, putting Anthony down again, the blonde now a bit disheveled from the unexpected greeting.  
"Not much to see yet, but will be good show in few days!"

"Uh, yes. We're sure the show will be excellent."  
Alastor butted in, taking a step closer to Anthony once again, holding an arm out, but quickly lowering it.

Anthony cleared his throat and put the basket down so he could fix himself, giving a sheepish smile. He wasn't exactly fond of being manhandled out of nowhere, but she was a nice lady, so he let it go.  
"Ah, thanks for lettin' us in."

"Very much welcome!"  
Brania grinned, slapping Anthony on the back, again leaving him breathless.  
"Who have you met?"

Stepping in now, giving Anthony a small once over to make sure that he was alright after being practically winded, Alastor raised his chin at Brania.  
"A young man by the name of Ciro. Dark hair, muscular man."  
He nodded, eyeing Anthony as he did so.

"Ah yes! Little brother of Loretta! He is good boy."  
The woman beamed.  
So, it seemed Ciro was a relative of the woman they'd met earlier, Loretta. Interesting.  
"Just him though? We introduce you to entire crew, people all the way to spiders!"

At the last word, Anthony seemed to find his breath again.  
"Oh no! No spiders. Please."  
He said as he grabbed Alastor's arm for an ounce comfort.

"You do not like spiders?"  
Brania asked with a small chuckle.  
"Ivy puts spiders in mouth and lets them crawl all over body. They are good."

Anthony's grip on Alastor's arm tightened as a shiver ran through his body at the mere thought, grimacing and holding his breath.

At the mention of spiders, Anthony's hand grabbing his arm, Alastor looked up at Brania, raising a brow.  
"Spiders in her mouth? Why, how fascinating."  
He chuckled a little, smirking at his lover, knowing just how much he despised the arachnids.

Anthony shook his head and closed his eyes tightly.  
"No grazie."  
He said.

"Okay, no spiders. Snakes and lions okay."  
Brania said as she moved behind the two men and started to guide them to the back again.

Ciro and Loretta were in the back part of the tent, already changed into different outfits, most likely better suited for their acts, and stretching while having a hushed conversation.

Anthony looked back at the basket that had been left behind, sighing a bit as he let himself be guided.

Anthony focused on the other people in the back for now, a man and a woman in the corner, the man with a massive white and yellow snake on his shoulders, and the woman talking to him in a language he didn't know.  
A man sat in front of the lions' cages, a group of three women was stretching not far from Loretta and Ciro, a man was counting something within a wooden crate, and a few other people puttering around.

Alastor silently followed along with Anthony, not noticing the picnic basket that they'd left behind on the ground.  
As they were guided towards the back of the tent, Alastor raised a brow at all the animals that were around now, and the people looking after them too.

Loretta, who had been speaking with her brother, upon seeing Anthony and Alastor again she began to make her way over. Giving Brania a nod, she looked to the two men.  
"Hello. I want to apologize for being cold. I can see that you are genuine. We are just cautious, I'm sure you understand. It wasn't long ago that intruders stole from us."  
Loretta slowly explained, looking back at her brother, Ciro, and then to Brania again.  
"Brania trusts you, and it seems Ciro does too. So, I will also. I am Loretta, and you are Anthony and Alastor, correct?"

Anthony slowly nodded and offered a smile.  
"I think that's a justified reason, and yeah, that's us."

"I was going to introduce to everyone."  
Brania cut in.  
"Would you like to come or do you prefer to practice, moya lyubov'?"  
[-my love?]

Smiling a little at Brania, Loretta nodded at her words.  
"Ya poydu s toboy. We have plenty of time to practice, and I think our routine is near perfect anyway."  
[I'll go with you.]

Brania grinned.  
"Good! Come!"  
She said as she led them to the man and woman with the large snake first.  
"Ivy and Arison handle snakes and spiders."  
She said as they all approached.

The man with the snake gorgeously draped over his shoulders and wrapped around his arms, presumably Ariston, was the first to turn to them. A stern and cold expression on his face. He had long dark hair tied back with a blue ribbon, piercing hazel eyes, and a fine bit of stubble on his face.  
Ivy, on the other hand, turned to them with bright honey-colored eyes and a big smile. She had long wavy chestnut-colored hair that flowed down to her mid-back. Her hands were cupped and brought close to her chest as if holding something near and dear to her.

"Geiá sou! Vlépo néa prósopa!"  
[Hello! I see new faces!]  
The woman chimed, a language unknown to Anthony again.

Arison looked at Ivy for a moment and then back to Anthony and Alastor.  
"She does not speak English. Only Greek. She says hello."  
The man's voice had a thick accent almost identical to Italian, but not quite.

Alastor held a hand up in a small wave as they were introduced to the pair. The woman known as Ivy was holding something to her chest, something that Alastor could only assume was a spider, given what Brania had said about that act previously. He figured he would save Anthony the grief of knowing that for now.

"Their act is really great. Terrifying if you don't like those things, but amazing."  
Loretta spoke up with a warm smile, glancing briefly at Brania again.

The snake that held onto Arison flicked the air with its tongue towards the two men before it began to stretch out toward them.  
Arison complied and brought his arm out like a branch so the animal could examine the guests.

Anthony tensed slightly, holding himself firm as not to run or grab Alastor.

"She is only curious. She is not venomous."  
Arison said as the snake continued flicking the air around Anthony with its tongue first and then slowly moving to Alastor, doing the same thing, however, it seemed to take a liking to the man and started creeping its way up and over Alastor's shoulder.

"She likes you!"  
Brania cheered, taking a small step away.

Alastor made sure to be still as the snake began to make its way over to him, creeping up his shoulder. He was calm, quite enjoying the interaction with the creature, finding it endlessly fascinating, of course.  
"How alluring."  
Alastor muttered, slowly reaching out and running a hand across the creature.

Anthony watched as the two seemed to take to each other quite well.

"She likes him because he is tall and calm, like a tree, but also warm."  
Arison stated as he stepped closer, removing the animal from his shoulders and placing the entire thirty-something pound snake on Alastor's shoulders for now.

Alastor felt his shoulders being weighed down as the entire snake was draped across his shoulders, however he didn't flinch, keeping as calm as ever.

"Tha thélate kai énan fílo?"  
Ivy asked Anthony with a smile, pulling her hands away from her chest and reaching them out to him but keeping them closed.

"She is asking if you would like a friend too."  
Arison translated.

Anthony raised his brows and looked to the woman.  
"I don't see why not."  
He replied, shrugging; completely unaware.

As the question towards Anthony was directed and then translated, Alastor raised a brow, reaching a hand up to his shoulder to lightly pet the snakes head. He could guess very well what Ivy held in her hands, and it certainly piqued his curiosity to see how Anthony would react without knowing at first. Alastor wasn't going to say anything, wanting to see how this played out.

"Kleíste ta mátia sas kai kratíste to chéri sas."

"She tells you to close your eyes and hold your hand out. Be calm."  
The man said, adding the last part himself because he knew how people would usually react to the mere idea.

Anthony looked between them and closed his eyes, reaching his hand out cautiously. After a few moments, he felt only the tiniest of tickles to his palm, light as a feather. He was trying to figure out what it was and only hoped to God it wasn't what his mind was urging him to think it was, hoping that Brania wasn't so cruel as to let this happen when he specifically voiced that he didn't like spiders.

Anthony's eyes closed, and Alastor took a step closer, carefully observing the blonde's closed eyed expression. It was curiously paired with a lurking fear, something that Alastor could sense. He had a feeling that Anthony deep down knew what it was. It was just a matter of how he would react when he opened his eyes.

"Open your eyes when you're ready."  
Arison nodded, Ivy staying close in case Anthony went to hurt her friend.

After a few moments, Anthony turned his head away and cracked his eye open to see what was on his hand; and there, just as he feared, was a massive hairy spider.

His eyes snapped open wide and his hands began to tremble, his breath catching in his throat as he looked at the thing. It was almost looking right at him, plotting to take his soul to Hell and eat it in front of him.

Ivy held Anthony's hands still and smiled.  
"Den tha se vlápsei."  
She said softly, stroking the critter's fuzzy back gently.

"It will not harm you."  
Arison said, his chin raising slightly as he watched the blonde cower.

Anthony shook his head, too scared to speak or move.

As much as he liked seeing Anthony freak out over the spider that sat, the size of his entire palm- Alastor could tell that the fear Anthony was feeling was quite large. As entertaining as that was, Alastor didn't want him to be too scared, even if it was amusing.

Arison placed a hand on Ivy's shoulder, deeming that to be plenty of exposure, and she nodded with a smile, picking the arachnid up again and moved away from Anthony.  
"Ta píges kalá!"  
She said.

"You did well."  
The man translated with a nod.

Brania put a hand on Anthony's shoulder and gave him a kind smile.  
"You are unharmed."  
She said with a nod, Loretta and Ciro moving in to calm the poor mess of a man.

"Don't worry, I used to fear them too until I met Ivy."  
Loretta smiled in Anthony's direction, standing beside her brother, Ciro, now. 

Anthony was silent for a few moments, appreciating the comfort even from strangers. It was odd considering he wouldn't have gotten anything like this back home.  
"I'll... be alright."  
He finally nodded, offering a small smile.

"And how are you doing?"  
Arison asked Alastor now.

As Arison looked to Alastor, the brunette just nodded.  
"Yes, it's quite a calming experience, I will say. I am lucky to be fond of snakes, unlike Anthony here with spiders."

"Very few are so fearless."  
Arison gave a nod and stepped forward, carefully slipping his hand under the snake and brought it back to rest over his own shoulders.  
"She is beautiful. Albino Burmese python. Only five years old."  
He said as he looked to Anthony again, rolling his eyes in clear annoyance. It clearly wasn't his first time seeing someone act this way.

Alastor, on the other hand, had much enjoyed having the snake around his shoulders.  
"They are fascinating creatures. I look forward to seeing you perform on Thursday."

"Efcharistó."  
[Good.]  
Arison nodded, putting an arm around Ivy as he looked down at her, saying something in their native language, Ivy nodding in reply.

"We apologize if her friend was too much."  
The man directed to Anthony.

Ciro looked to Alastor for a moment and moved closer, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.  
"Is he going to be alright? Ivy meant no harm, I assure you, my friend."  
He said to Alastor in a hushed voice as Brania and Loretta continued taking care of Anthony.

Alastor tensed his shoulders slightly as Ciro went so far as to wrap an arm around him, the man nodding his head.  
"Yes, I know Anthony very well. He will be fine after a while."  
He assured, looking over to his lover with a small smile.

Ciro gave a smile and nodded.  
"Good, I'm glad to hear it."  
He said, releasing Alastor now with a pat on the shoulder to finish up.  
"Come! There is lots to see still!"  
He spoke up.

Over the next hour or two, Anthony and Alastor were introduced to a large majority of the crew. They learned that this was a European based circus that only traveled around Europe and some of Asia, hence why Alastor hadn't seen this particular one before.

They met an abundance of fantastic people and their acts, including the trapeze and aerialist group consisting of six women and four men, Ciro being one of them, the acrobatic and contortionist team of two men and four women, Loretta one of them, the strong people of two men and one woman, Brania the single woman within that group, the two fire dancing women and the fire breathing man, the sword swallower, the knife thrower, and the lion tamer. Arison and Ivy were the other animal trainers, Arison taking a special liking for snakes and other reptiles, Ivy more for the spiders and other critters.

Their time was cut, however, when the circus crew was called for a meal.  
Anthony checked his watch, it being near dinner time now.

Ciro handed Anthony the picnic basket and patted the blonde's back with a grin before sending the two off on their way.

Alastor watched as Ciro patted Anthony on the back, a friendly gesture he was sure, but considering the way that Anthony had gazed up at the man upon meeting him, he couldn't help the slight feeling of- dare he say _jealousy_.

Exploring the depths of the circus and all of its actors and performers had certainly been something else, and Alastor was much anticipating Thursday when they would get to see it all again.  
With the picnic basket in hand, Alastor glanced back once more over his shoulder before looking ahead again as they were let out the back entrance of the circus.

"What did you think of it?"  
Alastor asked, turning to the blonde.

Anthony looked to Alastor with a wide smile. The interaction with the spider from earlier had long since past since he was distracted by many amazing and inspirational things.

"I can say I really don't understand how a human can bend and fold like paper. For them t' say it _doesn't hurt_ is just... unbelievable."  
He laughed softly as he looked back for a moment before purposefully brushing his hand against Alastor's.

Feeling Anthony's hand brush his own brought a slightly wider smile to Alastor's face, the man brushing Anthony's hand back with his own.  
"Well, humans can bend any sort of way you want them to if forced, but on their own accord, I'm sure that's much more impressive."  
Alastor laughed, finally taking Anthony's hand for real now, sure that they were alone outside.

"Thanks for bringin' me out here. It was somethin' really worth rememberin'."  
Anthony chuckled lightly, squeezing his lover's hand.

"You're quite welcome, my love. I'm very glad that you enjoyed yourself."  
Stopping in his tracks, Alastor then took both of Anthony's hands in his own, giving them a soft squeeze. The incident involving Ciro in his mind was most probably more dramatic than what had actually happened, so perhaps Alastor would overlook it. Anthony didn't seem to be bringing it up either.  
"I love you."

From just behind the tent of the circus, someone was approaching with light, almost unheard footsteps.  
Without any sort of reason to stop, they pulled open the back entrance of the tent and stepped out, stopping in their tracks as they saw just the people they were after, but not as they'd expected. Holding hands. 

"Oh."  
Loretta paused, quickly closing the tent of the circus behind her so that no one passing by could see out.

Anthony shifted the basket so it would rest on his forearm as he took Alastor's hands in return.  
"I love you too, but we gotta be careful, Al. We dunno who might be around."  
He replied softly, his smile soft and genuine.  
"When we get back t' your place, I promise we'll make up for the lost time."  
He added, letting his lover's hands go, about to turn to start walking again when he noticed someone approaching rather quickly from the corner of his eye.

Loretta was making her way toward them, holding something in her hand.  
Naturally, Anthony was curious so he stopped, hoping that she hadn't seen anything.  
"Everythin' alright?"  
He called to her.

The woman nodded slowly, smiling as she approached, holding out the thing that had been in her hand.  
"Uh, yes. Everything is fine."  
She nodded again.  
"I don't know if this is any of yours, but I found it on the ground. It's broken, so I hope it wasn't too important."

Anthony looked at the object in Loretta's hand, his head tilting slightly.

"That's mine, yeah. It's alright. I'll just get a new one."  
He said with a smile. It was only his lighter. Nothing of importance nor did it hold any special meaning. He carefully took it from her hands and nodded.  
"Thanks for your hospitality, aye? It was a great time and we look forward t' seein' ya again in a few days."

The woman nodded again, giving a wave to the two men.  
"We'll see you there."  
She smiled, watching as the two began to walk away. 

"Ah- t'ho visto!"  
[I saw you!]  
She quickly added, pausing for a moment afterward.  
"Tenersi per mano."  
[Holding hands.]

Anthony turned his head to look at the woman again, his cheeks dusting with a faint pink at her words. He simply gave one more wave, and a smile, unsure of what to really say to that.  
"Ciao!"

He then looked up at Alastor and his cheeks reddened a little more.  
"C'mon. Let's go home."

Alastor looked back at Loretta in confusion, and then to Anthony with even more confusion- especially given the redness that Anthony's face now was.  
"What did she say?"  
He asked once they'd walked away, eyes narrowed.  
"The redness of your cheeks says it flustered you, whatever it was... I suppose the topic of Ciro had something to with it."  
Mumbling that last part, he just shook his head, knowing it was unfair to assume that.

Anthony's brows knitted together, looking up at Alastor with his cheeks still red but a look of confusion on his face.  
"Alright, what's your problem with Ciro? Since we met him ya started actin'... different."  
He said, jumping right to that topic now. If he hadn't brought Ciro up, he would have just told him what she said but it just made him wonder what was going on in Alastor's mind when it came to that other man.  
It probably wasn't a discussion to be had out in the open but he had to know.

Alastor visibly sighed again, groaning tiredly as they approached the fence to the field.  
"It's nothing, Anthony. I'm sure he's a perfectly fine, fit, young, muscular, kind man."  
He replied, holding out a hand for the picnic basket so that Anthony could hop over the fence first.

Anthony's eyes narrowed as he handed the basket over. Now he could say for sure that Alastor was jealous.  
"We'll talk more about it when we get back."  
He said as he hopped the fence and continued walking. He was so caught up in his own thoughts about the matter that he forgot to take the basket again.

He had to admit, it was kind of cute that Alastor was jealous, but it was also kind of saddening. Anthony didn't hold any interest in Ciro and for Alastor to think that he would- _especially_ while Alastor was right next to him made him feel like his lover didn't trust him. That kind of hurt.

With the basket still in his hands, Anthony walking away, Alastor carefully threw the basket over the fence and climbed over himself, picking the basket up afterward.  
"Alright then. Although I don't see what we will be discussing."  
He continued, quickly walking to catch up with the blonde.

Anthony remained silent the entire way back to Alastor's house on the other side of the city, making sure to keep a respectable distance from his lover.

During their journey, Anthony's mind could only wonder and think about possible reasons why Alastor would be so stuck on Ciro and thinking Anthony wanted something to do with him.

As they made it back, the sun was just getting lower in the sky, going to set within the next few hours, and Amélie still wasn't home. It was good, considering this conversation wouldn't happen with her around.

"Alright."  
The blonde sighed as he stepped inside, shoes off, and left them sitting outside of the door on the porch.

Leaving his shoes outside as well, Alastor put his hat upon the coat stand along with his jacket, moving through the house to put the picnic basket in the kitchen.  
"Mama won't be home for a few hours yet."  
He called out, sensing that Anthony wanted to continue the conversation regarding the issue he had named Ciro.

Anthony nodded, following behind.  
"Good. Now, tell me what your problem is with Ciro. Did he say somethin' to ya? Look at ya weird? Make some kinda gesture?"  
He began to pry without hesitation, hoping for a straight answer, but knowing Alastor, he was probably going to dodge the question as much as possible.

"Why, Ciro didn't do anything to me at all."  
Alastor put it simply, arms folding across his chest.  
From there, he led Anthony into the lounge again, taking a seat in his armchair.  
"And he didn't say anything, nor look at _me_ strangely at all."

"So, what, ya didn't like how he looked at _me_? Is that it?"  
Anthony scoffed and shook his head a little.  
"Say what's on your mind, Al. Tell me your thoughts about him. I'd _love_ to hear."  
He said as he followed, deciding to keep standing.

Sitting back in his chair, Alastor crossed a leg, quickly pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.  
"The way he looked at _you_ , the way _you_ looked at _him_ , what the woman Loretta said to you- all of it."  
He replied simply, taking a drag, elbow resting on the arm of his chair.

"Alright, let's get one thing clear. Loretta only told me that she saw us holdin' hands. As for the looks, I didn't see him givin' _me_ anythin' and I didn't give _him_ anythin'. Why would I when I have you? Especially when you were right beside me."  
The blonde said, tilting his head slightly.  
"Think about it. We were apart for two years, yeah? Not once did I even _look_ at another man durin' that time. Molly woulda smacked the hell outta me if I did. I'd beat the hell outta myself!"

Alastor was silent, forehead resting in his palm, eyes briefly closing as he thought about what Anthony was saying and what he himself was accusing his lover of. It was foolish of him, and clearly, he was blinded by a sudden spell of jealousy. 

"I... I apologize."  
Ciro may have been an attractive and charming young man, but to assume that Antony was looking at him in such a way was very foolish of Alastor, and he knew that. Their bond was strong, not something that would be broken over something so small.

Anthony tilted his head, features softening now. He didn't expect an apology so soon. He was used to an argument to run for hours and possibly end with some kind of violence. Of course, all of that was back home. This wasn't that place. This place was different and in the best ways.

Taking a step forward now, he knelt to Alastor and sighed, taking his hands.  
"It's alright, Smiles. Just remember that you're my first and you're gunna be my last. I don't want anyone else."  
He said with a kiss to his lover's forehead.  
"You're all I need t' be happy."

Alastor made sure to keep his cigarette away from Anthony's hands as he held them, not wanting him to get burnt.  
"I suppose jealousy is not a good look on me."  
He smiled with a small huff of a laugh, appreciating the kiss to his forehead. It reassured him, naturally.  
"Ciro's presence intimidated me when it should not have, and I should trust you to not look at other men. I _do_ trust you not to. You have the entirety of my trust, Anthony dear. Both my trust _and_ my love."

Anthony smiled a little more, looking into Alastor's eyes.  
"I love you too. With everythin' that I am and ever will be."  
He finished that by kissing Alastor's lips quickly.  
"Now ah... your three-course meal's still ready for ya if ya want it."


	48. Chapter 48

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Sexual NSFW. You know what to do if you're not into it.~

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Tuesday, August 7th, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Alastor's face softened, and his cheeks started to turn their own shade of red at the sudden realization of what Anthony was bringing up now.  
"Uh, oh. Yeah. Yes."   
He felt himself start to flush, cigarette burning away blindly between his fingers, completely forgotten about now.   
Only Anthony could get him like this, as embarrassing as it was.

Taking a breath, Alastor leaned forwards, capturing Anthony's lips against his own for a second before pulling away to whisper.   
"Good thing I'm starving..."

Anthony smiled and bit his lip, shifting to stand up again. He honestly found it adorable when he would catch Alastor all red like that. It was a rare occurrence, which is what made it such a treat.  
"Lock the door and get a towel. I'll meet 'cha upstairs with the oil."  
He replied, kissing his lover once more before pulling away and quickly making his way to the kitchen.  
He was quick in grabbing the oil, dashed up the stairs, and into Alastor's room.  
Needless to say, he really enjoyed the first time they had sex and couldn't help his giddiness for their second time around.

Alastor already felt that familiar feeling of anticipation building up as he stood from his seat, moving over to the small table in the lounge that had an ashtray on, putting out his cigarette.   
Doing as Anthony said, he locked the front door of the home, putting the key back in its regular place before going around to all the windows and closing the curtains.   
The sun was getting closer to setting, so even without the curtains closed, the house was going to get more or less dark. 

Once everything was locked downstairs, Alastor began to make his way up to the bathroom, grabbing a towel from the rack and walking finally into his bedroom. Pushing open the door, Alastor grinned, spotting Anthony. 

The blonde had already closed the curtains and taken his shirt off; the marks from the last time had faded quite a bit but were still visible even after four days. He had put the oil down on the nightstand and watched his lover with something of a hungry smirk, looking him up and down.

Alastor felt the smirk upon his face start to grow, the man moving over to his desk and flicking the dim lamp on to give them a bit of light at least, then began untying his bow tie as he approached Anthony on the bed, then laid the towel out over the sheets.  
"All done." 

" _Your_ meal is ready, but is _mine_?"  
Anthony asked, tilting his head slightly as he bit his lip.

" _Your_ meal?"   
The brunette hummed, eyes narrowing as he took a seat on the bed, unbuttoning the first few buttons of his shirt, unbuckling his sleeve garter.

Anthony licked his lips and stood up to stand in front of Alastor. He leaned down and ran his hands down his chest while attacking his neck with gentle kisses and a confirming hum.  
"Mhm, _my_ meal."  
He whispered, with every button that he undid of his shirt, he kissed down his chest further and further.   
"I wanna pinch the tail and suck the head-"  
He could hardly get through that sentence, letting out a breathy laugh against the man's chest.

With every button that he undid of his shirt, Anthony kissed down his chest further and further.   
"You want to-"   
Alastor had to pause, a throaty laugh leaving his lips at his lover's words, as adorably crude as they were.   
"God Anthony..."   
He chuckled, hands roaming the blonde's chest, moving gently down.   
"Your mouth is filthy sometimes..."

Anthony chuckled lightly and started removing his lover's shirt.  
"Yeah, but ya love me."  
He shrugged, leaning in and kissing Alastor's lips as he pulled the bottom of his lover's shirt up to untuck it from his pants and then slid the fabric off of his shoulders and down his arms.  
He was glad that their little spat about the events of the day wasn't blown out of proportion, and he was definitely glad to have this time for them to make it up to each other; which brought something to mind.

"When's your mom gunna be home by the way?"  
He asked as he clambered onto Alastor's lap and straddled his hips, not wanting to scar the poor woman with their nonsense.

With Anthony now in his lap, Alastor shuffled back on the bed against the headboard, his hands trailing down to unbutton the top of Anthony's pants.   
"Judging by what the time was downstairs, I'd say we have two hours or so. Give or take."   
He hummed, leaning forwards, his lips pressing kisses into Anthony's pale skin.

Anthony remembered a conversation they'd had that morning that Amélie was training a few new midwives and they had a woman due any day now, so she would be tending to that frequently as well as having plans to visit a friend of hers afterward.   
God, he was grateful for her busy schedule.

The blonde gave a nod and it with a kiss to Alastor's temple, leaving it at that as not to distract from the current mood.  
He brought his hands down to the button on Alastor's pants and popped it loose.

Hands to Anthony's hips, Alastor began to pull down the other's pants gently, still planting gentle kisses to his neck and jaw.   
" _My_ Anthony."   
He whispered, raising a finger to the mark he'd bitten into Anthony's skin earlier that day in the field.

The blonde inhaled and sighed at the gentle touches he was receiving, each one with careful intention.  
" _Always_ yours."  
He replied with a small smile, finishing with Alastor's zipper now so he was free to bring his hands up to cup his lover's cheeks and led him into a deep and passionately heated kiss.

Alastor's eyes closed in bliss, the man melting into the sweet lips of his lover, a hand running through Anthony's hair. Biting softly upon Anthony's bottom lip, he continued to deepen their kiss, his breathing becoming heavier by the second. He could feel the heat rising within the room and his own body, sweat quickly sticking to his forehead.

Anthony provided a soft moan with his back arching at the bite, whispering a breathy curse before pulling away and kissing down Alastor's neck. His entire body started shifting back the further down the man's body he kissed, whispering sweet nothing's in Italian as he did so.

"Tu es à moi uniquement. Aucun autre homme."  
[You are mine only. No other man.]  
Alastor spoke with a nip to Anthony's shoulder, eyes closing as he focused on the kisses to his chest, helping Anthony get his pants off, kicking them off the bed.

As always, he didn't know what Alastor had said, but he simply nodded in reply.  
Anthony stopped in the middle of his lover's chest and started kissing off to the left until he reached his nipple, flicking the bud with his tongue lightly before capturing it gently between his lips and applying a bit of suction just to see if that would do anything for him.

Alastor let out a breath at the feeling of Anthony's tongue against his nipple, shifting his lower half a little, feeling his arousal heightening by the second.   
"Anthony-"   
He muttered, wanting to please his lover too.

He wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad 'Anthony', so he pulled away and continued on his way down the man's body with kisses and little nibbles. He didn't care about his own pleasure right now, only wanting Alastor to really feel like the only man in the world. They belonged to each other and no one else.  
With Alastor's pants off, Anthony was able to press himself down onto the growing bulge under the fabric of his shorts.

"You're perfect..."  
The blonde whispered, his breath hot against Alastor's lower abdomen now, biting the hem of his underwear and pulling lightly before letting go to let the elastic snap back against his perfectly tanned skin.

Alastor's breath hitched as he looked down at Anthony looking up at him, his breathtaking green eyes lidded and glancing up at him with something Alastor could only presume was both love and lust.   
" _You're_ perfect."   
Alastor repeated, groaning gently as Anthony pressed himself further down, hot breath feeling like fire against his lower abdomen.

Anthony smirked and huffed against Alastor's skin again, his fingers hooking the fabric and starting to pull them down to expose his thickening phallus; his breath hot against that part of his lover now.  
He shifted a little further down and placed a gentle kiss to the shaft, all while keeping eyes locked on Alastor's beautiful brown ones, bringing his kisses slowly upwards.

Alastor shivered, even at the smallest of kisses to his length, not having felt that type of stimulation before.  
"Anthony..."   
He spoke again; however, he was clearly a little more relaxed now. As he'd mentioned, he loved and trusted Anthony with everything he had and was.

The left corner of Anthony's lips turned up slightly, loving when Alastor said his name in a pleasured setting, placing a few more slow and careful kisses before bringing his hand to support it and help hold it vertically from the base.  
He brought his tongue out and carefully ran it up and down the underside slowly. His cheeks were dusted with pink once again, this being the first time he'd ever done something like this but was thoroughly enjoying Alastor's reactions.

With every movement that the blonde made, Alastor could feel his erection hardening all the more, his breathing continuing to quicken, and his hips raising into the pleasure, even if it was more teasing than anything at the moment.   
"Tellement bon..."  
[So good...]  
Alastor groaned, trailing a hand up Anthony's shoulder and neck so that his hand could run through blonde locks, fingers tangling in his hair slightly.

Anthony hummed and returned to kissing up to the tip of Alastor's length before bringing his tongue out again and swirling it around for a moment and proceeded to take a bit in his mouth. His tongue acted as a cushion as he simply stilled himself so the heat and wetness of his mouth could take effect.

The feeling was one that Alastor had undoubtedly never felt before, and he of course welcomed it, by all means, his back even arching slightly as Anthony hummed, the tip of his cock starting to leak precum into Anthony's wet and warm mouth.

The fingers going through his hair only made him hum more, sending those vibrations through to Alastor in a pleasant exchange of sorts.

Sensing that his lover enjoyed it, Alastor continued to rake his fingers through his hair, still groaning softly with every movement of Anthony's tongue.

Anthony raised a brow as he read his lover's body language. He was very clearly enjoying himself and that just made him extremely happy. Unfortunately, though, he didn't want him to cum just yet, so he slowly took his mouth away as a string of saliva and Alastor's precum kept them connected.

"You're so beautiful, my love."  
He sighed, his hand carefully stroking Alastor's shaft as he started to sit up, his free hand sliding the remainder of his clothes off to the best of its ability; though he had to use both hands eventually, tossing the pants, underwear, and socks all off of the bed and onto the floor.  
He then leaned down again and started to kiss his lover's shaft once again, adding a few licks and a bit of suction to his kisses this time.

Alastor sat up a bit just as Anthony did, taking the time that his lover used to remove the rest of his clothing, to catch his own breath.   
"There's nothing I love more than watching someone as stunning as you, Anthony."   
He replied, a small groan punctuating his sentence as Anthony leaned back down again, wet and warm kisses and licks being placed down his shaft, the brunette's hips lifting slightly in pleasure. However, as much as he was enjoying this, he couldn't help but want to please his lover too, simultaneously.

Anthony gave one more lick from base to tip before smiling up at his lover.  
"Tell me what you want, amore mio..."  
He whispered and a sultry tone with one final kiss to his cock before starting to kiss back up his stomach, his body pressing down against his lover's erection as he moved up.  
He could tell Alastor was itching for something.

Alastor felt his body shiver again at the mere tone of the blonde's words, the man slowly nodding as he wrapped his arms around the other's neck.   
"Let me please you too..."   
He muttered breathlessly, head tilting as he sat himself up, pressing a kiss to the top of Anthony's head from where he kissed up his stomach.   
"I want you to feel pleasure just as I do."

Anthony gave a soft hum at his lover's sweetness. So considerate.  
"Anything you want, amore."  
He said softly as he moved up to Alastor's lips, only teasing him by brushing their lips against each other.  
"I love you more than anything-"  
He sighed, eyes fluttering shut as he finally let the kiss happen.

Alastor let his eyes close as he felt Anthony's lips against his own, the brunette leaning his head forwards, deepening their kiss even more, his hands trailing down from around Anthony's neck, down his torso.   
"Tellement beau. Mon magnifique Anthony."  
[So pretty. My Beautiful Anthony.]  
He managed to let out, hands traveling further down Anthony's body.

Anthony let out a small laugh at the man's words, lowering himself down so their bodies were flush against each other.   
"Ti voglio."  
[I want you.]  
He sighed, giving his lover's lips a small nibble as he cracked his eyes open and started reaching for the oil.

Sitting up a little so that Anthony was more comfortable in his lap, Alastor grabbed the oil from Anthony's hands, giving the blonde a slight narrowed eyed look, a smirk wide on his face.   
"Let me."   
He whispered against the other's skin, free hand trailing down Anthony's lower back now, grabbing his ass, nails digging in slightly.   
"Je te veux."  
[I want you.]

Anthony closed his eyes and bit his lip, the inner corners of his brows turning up as the pinkness of his cheeks became more vibrant. He nails in his flesh almost made him moan, but his breath got caught in his throat, thus stopping any noise.

He slowly nodded and opened his eyes again. He really did like when Alastor took control and when he became rough and aggressive... that was the ticket to having Anthony melting.   
On Friday, when Alastor lost himself in the pleasure, that was Anthony's first hint to that.

"Per favore. Sono pronto."  
[Please. I'm ready.]  
He replied with a quivering moan as he pushing himself back into Alastor's nails.

There it was. The sound of Anthony's quivering and needy moans that had Alastor groaning, arousing him only further.   
Unscrewing the cap to the oil with one hand, Alastor's other hand still dig into Anthony's flesh, dragging downwards, his mouth latching onto Anthony's jaw, just below his ear. 

"Mine..."  
The brunette whispered with a hint of a growl, sitting up a little more, and holding the canister of oil with both hands now.   
Making eye contact with his lover, he made sure the blonde was watching as he poured a generous amount of oil into his palm, slicking up his middle and index fingers of his left hand before trailing them around to the flesh of Anthony's ass again.

That growl made Anthony quiver. The single word almost didn't process, but when it did, it only made the blonde melt even more.   
It was at the point that he didn't even tell Alastor to be careful with the marks.

"Sono tuo, non essere delicato~"  
[I am yours, don't be gentle with me~]  
He whimpered with an indiscreet moan as he closed his eyes. It would be interesting to see if he could submit any more than he already was.

Alastor, despite not knowing for sure what Anthony had said, didn't hold back. With no remorse did he sink his teeth right into just below Anthony's jaw, suckling upon his lover's flesh, creating possessive, red marks.   
His other hand, with the two fingers that had been slicked up, they teasingly poked and prodded at Anthony's entrance, circling around the flesh there, pulling away every so often.

Anthony's eyes rolled back before squeezing shut with a surprised gasp followed by a shuddering moan right in Alastor's ear.   
He could feel his arms and legs grow weak, hardly able to hold himself up as the oil started to run down from his hole being toyed with and down his balls and thighs; some even dripping down onto his lover beneath him.

"Ah...! Alastor!~"  
He whined, the biting just pushing him all the more, his hands gripping the sheets.

Putting the oil back on the dresser table to the side, Alastor slid his right hand down Anthony's chest, stopping at his length. Licking slightly down his lover's neck, Alastor rather roughly placed another bite just below the other one. 

"Be loud for me, mon amour~"   
Alastor groaned, his smirk growing as he pressed his index finger forwards against Anthony's hot entrance, feeling a little resistance, but with the oil, it began to slide in.

"Say my name _louder_ , mon amour."   
With his right hand now, Alastor gently gripped his lover's cock and began to carefully stroke it. The movements were sloppy by all means, his right hand not his dominant one, but anything for his Anthony.

Anthony shuddered; first the _growl_ , then the _biting_ , then the _roughness_ , and now the _demands_. God, he was turning into the biggest submissive masochist for this man.

He lowered his head and moaned into Alastor's shoulder as he slid the first finger into his tight hole without hesitation.  
"Alastor! Oh... g-gahh!~"  
He groaned loudly as requested, but not entirely on purpose. The mix of biting, stroking, and demands just piled onto his pleasure.  
One of his hands moved up to Alastor's chest, nails immediately clawing into his skin.

Alastor sighed in content at the feeling of Anthony's nails clawing down his chest, the man humming softly against Anthony's skin as he bit a mark into the blonde's collarbone.   
"Good?"   
He asked gently, right hand still stroking Anthony as his other hand began to slide the finger in and out of his lover, curling it to stretch him out a little too.

Anthony bit his lip and nodded eagerly, his breath already heavy.  
"S-So good, Alastor!~"   
He replied, moaning his name loudly again just as he wanted.  
"More... p-please~"  
He breathed as he lifted his head and looked back as his ass was prepared, precum already leaking from his cock and onto Alastor's right hand. This was undoubtedly going to hurt later, but he really couldn't have cared less. He loved all of this at this moment.

"Perfect~"   
Alastor hummed, doing as Anthony asked, sliding in a second finger beside the first, curling both of them upwards inside his lover, oil dripping down the entirety of his left arm now.   
As he noticed the precum leaking into his other hand from Anthony's cock, Alastor with a smirk pulled back from that, not wanting his lover to cum so soon either. A bit of payback.

Anthony's back arched as he gasped and groaned, his mouth opening wide as he felt his body about to completely cave. He was struggling to keep himself up as it was.  
"Mi fai sentire così bene, Alastor!~"  
[You make me feel so good, Alastor!~]  
He moaned with his mouth wide and panting. His right hand managed to move down to Alastor's cock and gripped it gently yet firmly and tightly, starting to pump his fist at the same pace he was moving his fingers.

Now it was Alastor's turn to moan, low and sultry as Anthony's hand gripped his length and began to pump it. His hips bucked slightly at that as a response, his fingers burying themselves even deeper into the blonde, Alastor feeling his heated internal walls squeezing his fingers as he slid them in and out. 

"The best meal..."   
Alastor groaned with a breathless chuckle.

Anthony smirked and managed to pull himself away so he could see what he was doing, his hand let go of Alastor and reached for the oil, dipping his fingers into it one by one before his hand returned to stroking his lover's heated phallus, slicking it up so they would both be ready for the next level of conjoined pleasure.  
"Only yours~"  
He replied.  
"Are ya hungry?~"

Alastor couldn't help the slightly louder and throaty moan that left his lips as Anthony's warm and now slick hand gripped his now almost painfully hard cock.   
Grunting with a nod, he managed to begin to slide a third finger into his lover.   
"Oh Anthony darling, I'm _famished_ ~"   
Alastor growled once again, leaning his head forwards over Anthony's shoulder so that he could see what he was doing too.

Anthony huffed and grunted as the third finger entered his ass. The pleasure was definitely overriding the pain now, his adrenaline intense.  
" _Famished_ , huh? Damn, ya want me that bad?~"  
He moaned, licking his lips as he slid his hand up and down all the way from the tip down to the base and back up again.

"Guess I can tell how hungry y' are just from what's in my hand~"  
He chuckled breathlessly, following it up with another loud moan as his ass continued to be stretched aggressively.

Groaning again, Alastor had to close his eyes, fingers spreading themselves out inside of Anthony as he pleasured him too. Raising his hips up into Anthony's strokes again, Alastor looked up into his eyes, raising a brow, smirk only growing as he felt his composure being lost by the second.   
"I want you more than ever~"

Anthony's face scrunched a bit as he was pried open even further, hissing through clenched teeth a bit before suddenly exhaling.   
"Al-"  
His grip on Alastor's cock tightened.  
"Oh my god, I love you~"  
He moaned, his body moving back further in hopes that it would get him to go deeper as he smashed their lips together, moaning into the deep and passionate kiss.

As Anthony moved back further, Alastor was able to indeed dig his fingers deeper into his lover, being able to just about brush that one sensitive spot within Anthony that he knew would break him.   
"I love you more~"   
Alastor groaned in reply, melting into the kiss, feeling Anthony's tongue up against his own in the passionate cry of love.

Anthony let out pleading moans as their tongues wrestled, clearly not putting up much of a fight as every muscle in his body remained weak to the pleasure. He soon gave up out of exhaustion and retracted his tongue, now biting and sucking on his lover's instead.  
With the three digits abusing his hole so closely to that weak spot, Anthony was almost ready to give in and take Alastor's cock now. He could tell Alastor wanted it too just from how hard he was.   
As he said himself, he was famished.

Spreading his three fingers out once more and curling them upwards again once more time, Alastor then began to slowly slide them out of the blonde one by one.  
When all three fingers were out, Alastor used his other hand to grab the oil again, spreading more on the outside of Anthony's entrance generously. 

"I _want_ you. _So_ much."   
Alastor grunted, brows creasing together at the firm grip Anthony still had on his cock.

"I'm all yours for the takin'~"  
Anthony replied, the removal of fingers just urging him on to fill his hole again in hopes to satisfy them both.  
He made sure to shift himself and sit up, looking down at himself as he aligned Alastor with his ass, just pressing down enough to tease and no more.

Alastor leaned back a little, sitting up on his elbows to watch as Anthony aligned himself. When he began to tease, Alastor threw his head back a little, groaning softly, his hands finding their way to the blonde's hips.   
"Damn it..."   
He cursed quietly, looking back across at Anthony.   
"Don't you want it? Teasing me isn't going to give you what you want."

Anthony bit his lip and grinned.  
"A little impatient, Al? This your way of beggin'?"  
He teased as he pressed himself down just a little more, his tightness now starting to dilate a bit, remaining tight though.

Alastor huffed with a shake of his head, feeling the tip of his cock being engulfed in Anthony's hot and slick heat.   
"Not begging. Simply wanting to give us both what we want."   
He replied, eyes fixated on Anthony's hole as it stretched around his length the further he sank down.

Anthony was only doing this because he loved seeing Alastor so desperate and on edge. It made him feel desired, which he found really nice; almost addicting.  
As his hole hugged the thickness of his lover, Anthony bit his lip as a few huffed moans escaped his throat. He stopped himself just a little over halfway just so he could adjust to the new girth stretching him out. He leaned forward and placed his hand next to Alastor's head, closing his eyes tightly.  
"So big-"  
He breathed, biting his lip right after.

Alastor too held his eyes shut, head leaning into the hand that was next to him as he listened to Anthony's breathy moans and whines.   
"D-Do you need more oil?"   
He asked, opened his eyes, and looking at how far Anthony had sunk down, only halfway.

Anthony slowly nodded after a moment to decide.  
"Please."  
He then removed his hand from holding onto his lover's cock and brought it up slightly to cup himself gently with a small moan as he slowly raised himself again slightly and lowered himself again. Definitely in need of more lubrication.

Nodding in response to Anthony's answer, Alastor sat up a little and reached for the canister of oil, pouring some out into his palm before putting it back again.   
Dipping his left fingers into his palm, Alastor gathered some of the oil and brought it around to Anthony's hole.   
"Take as much time as you need, mon amour."

Anthony nodded again, licking his lips as he moved further up so Alastor could put more oil on his cock, waiting until he moved his hand away again before lowering himself down again.   
His mouth hung open as he slid down to the half-way point again with more ease, and a little further.  
"Oh, God... Alastor~"  
He whimpered, his head tilting back a bit.

Wiping the rest of the oil away on the towel underneath them, Alastor brought his hands back to Anthony's hips again. Sighing softly in pleasure as the blonde began to sink down again onto his cock, unable to help but moan too.   
"Anthony..."   
He let out softly.

The blonde slowly lifted himself again and sank back down, his ass tight and walls pulsating around his lover.   
Once he knew he was able to handle it, he picked up the pace while easing himself to take more each time he went down.

He brought his gaze up to Alastor's eyes as he raised himself up, pausing there with a small smirk.  
"Ready for me?"

Alastor felt himself gulp as Anthony eased himself down and raised himself up, the smirk absolutely doing it for him.   
"More than ready~"   
He replied with narrowed eyes, a smirk of his own upon his face.   
"It just depends on whether _you_ are ready for _me_ ~"

"Are ya _challenging_ me, amore?"  
The blonde asked with a raised brow, not moving even a millimeter just yet.

Alastor shrugged a little from where he lay on the bed, smirk only growing, nails lightly digging into Anthony's hips that he now held.   
"Aren't I _always_ , mon amour?"

Anthony smirk only grew, eyes lidding as he felt his lover's nails in his hips.   
"I love you~"  
He purred, and not a second later slammed himself down on Alastor's cock, the entire length of him embraced by Anthony's tight body.   
The pleasure outnumbered the pain, causing his back to arch and head to tilt back, a pleasured smile pulling at the corners of his mouth that hung wide open with a loud sultry moan escaped his throat.

Alastor hadn't expected that, a throaty moan being ripped out of his throat as a response, nails only digging deeper into Anthony's hips.   
Unimaginable pleasure washed over him as his cock that had been teased for so long that evening was finally engulfed in Anthony's blindingly tight and hot warmth. 

"Love you too-"   
Alastor finally grunted.

Anthony kept himself still as he accepted all that Alastor had to offer, his body shaking from the amount of pleasure. Naturally, Alastor ended up nudging his prostate in this process, playing a big part in this enormous wave of pleasure. He was already so close to an orgasm but no matter what happened, they weren't going to stop until Alastor was satisfied too.

Finally closing his mouth and biting his lip, the pleasured smiled remaining, Anthony began to pull himself back up slightly and fall back down as hard as he could, starting out slow and gradually picking up the pace.

"So good, Alastor!~"  
He cried out as he continued picking up the pace and making sure he took everything in every time he went back down.

They may have only just started, but Alastor knew it wouldn't take him long at all before orgasming. He wanted this to last as long as possible, of course, but he knew he didn't have the strength to do so, not when Anthony's insides were squeezing around him, the love of his life sitting on top of him, moaning so beautifully as he was riding him.

As Anthony began to bounce, the grip that Alastor had on the man's hips only tightened, nails scraping down to Anthony's thighs, leaving long, red marks.

Anthony shuddered as his eyes rolled back, the scratching just amplifying his masochistic enjoyment. He started to slow down to a shaky halt though, the pleasure almost too much for him to be able to move.   
"A-Amore~"  
He whimpered, that smile still on his face.

When Anthony began to slow his movements down, nothing but pure pleasure on his face, Alastor managed to gather enough breath to speak.   
"Do... Do you want me to take over?"   
He asked through a moan, hips instinctively grinding upwards as he brought his hands back up to rest on the blonde's hips gently.

Anthony hissed and moaned at the grinding Alastor was providing, melting entirely. As much as he would have been fine just like this, he knew how badly Alastor wanted to get on with his release. Not to mention their time was running short, his mother due to be home within the next hour and a half.

The blonde took a moment, pulling himself up slightly as he reached his left hand back and held his cheek, feeling the scratches from his over's nails there, then looked back for a moment before nodding with a moaned 'yes please'.

As soon as he was given the go-ahead, Alastor didn't waste a second. Hands moving upwards to Anthony's waist, he gripped the blonde and flipped their positions, groaning as his cock slipped out as he did so; Anthony whining at the sudden emptiness he was left with and legs quivering, then flipped him so he was laying on his stomach.   
Pinning Anthony down to the bed now, letting him relax, Alastor smirked, kissing down the back of the Italian's neck.   
"Good~"   
Alastor hummed, looking down and grabbing his cock, lining it up with Anthony's entrance and pushing in with a moan.

He kept his eyes on Alastor behind him and pushed his ass up slightly as he felt him pushing in again, Anthony shoving his cheek into the pillow with a loud moan of mixed Italian curses.

The tightness of his ass welcomed Alastor's thick cock again, constricting around him in nothing less than pure desire.

"Alastor!!~"  
He cried, his hands gripping and scratching at the bedding.

"Say it louder-"   
Alastor demanded with a growl, showing no mercy as he began to thrust in and out of his lover, pressing his chest flush against Anthony's back.   
Eyes closed, he felt a shudder wrack his body, feeling his cock thickening by the second. He wouldn't last much longer.

Anthony's mouth opened wide as he began panting and salivating as his lover ravaged his poor ass, his nails clawing down the bedding.   
It was only at the third thrust that Anthony felt that knot in his stomach forcibly release before he knew it had even formed, hot cum spurting down onto the towel and his walls tightened around Alastor's thickness in an uneven pulsation.

"Alastor, God, Yes!"  
The blonde gasped and nearly screamed, his entire body shaking and twitching through his orgasm.  
"Don't stop, please, amo!"  
He pleaded and whined. He was certainly struggling to keep his words in English, but wanted his lover to understand every word he was saying and understand the intense pleasure he was causing.

Alastor felt his legs shaking, his own knot residing in his lower stomach so close now to bursting with pleasure. He knew Anthony had cum, and that alone brought Alastor great relief as he continued to thrust at his ravaging pace, hands clutching Anthony's wrists, sweat rolling off his body.   
"A-Anthony-"   
He choked out, face scrunched in pleasure as he tilted so close to the edge, toes curling.

Anthony struggled to keep himself still, his body lurching forward with each thrust that Alastor hit him with. His hands gripped the bedding while pushing himself back to keep him nice and deep.

"Alastor! Mi fai sentire così bene!"  
[You make me feel so good!]  
He moaned along with a series of 'yes's to sync with each thrust. It was official now. He absolutely _loved_ taking Alastor's cock. Whether that be in his mouth or in his ass, he was completely and utterly weak to the mere thought.

Kissing down the back of Anthony's neck, Alastor's harsh thrusts quickly became sloppier and sloppier, the man pressing his forehead into Anthony's back with a moan and a throaty cry as he felt himself start to cum.   
"Anthony- je t'aime tellement!~"  
[I love you so much!~]  
Alastor let out with a muffled moan, breathing deeply, his cock releasing and filling Anthony's tight hole with the hot semen.

As he continued to pump Anthony full, Alastor's hips slowed to a halt, the man collapsing above his lover, pinning him down further to the mattress, his hips grinding once or twice more before he stilled, panting heavily, grip lossening.

Anthony could feel every single gush of his lover's fluids, feeling every twitch and pulse against his walls, Alastor earning one more loud pleading cry of his name.  
As Alastor collapsed, Anthony felt his entire weight come down onto him, causing a sudden huff and squeak from the blonde. Their hot and sweaty bodies now sticking together.

It took a good few minutes of panting and heavy breathing from both of them before Anthony was able to really speak, breathing out a quiet and exhausted chuckle first.  
"God, you're so good t' me, amo..."  
He sighed, bringing a hand back to carefully pat whatever moist part of Alastor's body he happened to find.

Feeling Anthony patting his hip, Alastor slowly nodded his head, getting a few more breaths back before speaking, his voice croaky and mouth dry.   
" _You_ are so good t' me..."   
He replied with the accent peeking through, face burying into the back of Anthony's neck, the softest of kisses being placed there.   
His whole body ached, but that was nothing in comparison to the pleasure that he and Anthony had just shared together.

A smile started to pull at the blonde's lips hearing the southern accent lace itself into Alastor's words, his eyes closing again as he relaxed to the kisses.   
"You're perfect..."  
He sighed, his arm falling limp against the bed again at his side.  
"I love ya... so much, Al... I'm so lucky."

Alastor could barely keep his eyes open, Anthony's words so soothing, his voice in general just so soothing.   
"I love y' more..."   
He whispered back, lips barely brushing Anthony's skin now.   
Managing to raise an arm, Alastor let it rest beside Anthony's head, fingers gently running through his slightly damp hair.

Anthony's lazy and tired smile only grew, now weak for a whole new reason. With his hair being played with, he couldn't help the relaxed hum that escaped him. He was going to tell Alastor that they should probably think about getting cleaned up, but now he was once again immobilized.   
It wasn't often that someone played with his hair, but know it was clear that it was some sort of weakness; especially after something so intense and exhausting.

Alastor knew that they'd have to clean up in due time, especially with probably only an hour left before Amélie was due back, but for now, he just wanted to stay like this with his lover.   
He continued to gently play with Anthony's hair blindly, his face resting in his neck tiredly, breathing in the other's scent.   
"Love you so much..."

Anthony turned his head and cracked his eyes open, hoping to get a glance of his lover. These moments with Alastor really did make him no less than remarkably and incandescently happy to the point he almost felt tears in his eyes.

"Love you more..."  
He replied, wishing that he could have been holding him and able to plant kisses to his face, but certainly wasn't going to complain. Their closeness was truly perfect and he was getting all he really needed right then and there.

Shifting his hips, Alastor groaned, his face scrunching as he pulled out of Anthony to lay closer beside him, their legs still entangled in each other. 

Anthony let out a small moan and a gasp, biting his lip to hush himself. As he felt Alastor's weight shift, his glossy eyes opened again, now seeing the love of his life laying beside him.   
Bringing his hand up, he cupped Alastor's cheek and smiled, blinking slowly.  
"I love you..."  
He whispered, voice hoarse and raspy from all of his previous cries.

Head now beside Anthony, Alastor was able to look tiredly into his green eyes, a small yet warm smile of comfort filling his entire face.

Alastor chuckled softly at the tiny moan Anthony let out, the brunette leaning into his lover's hands that suddenly cupped his cheek.


	49. Chapter 49

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Tuesday, August 7th, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

"I love you."   
Alastor repeated, his words nothing but confident, despite how tired he sounded. His own voice was quite gravelly, but that was to be expected.

Anthony's smile brightened; hearing those words and being able to look into his eyes in the dim light of the room just made everything so much better.  
"I love you."  
He said again, blinking slowly in hopes it would be enough to stop the flow of happy tears.

Alastor's face softened all the more as he noticed the shiny sheen of his lover's eyes glossing over.   
"My love."   
He replied gently, raising a thumb and very softly wiping at Anthony's eyes.   
"My _everything_."

Anthony's smile didn't falter, feeling himself melt even further into the affection and really listening to the words; noting the tone of voice and the sincerity overflowing from each word.   
He shuffled a little closer and brought the hand cupping his lover's cheek up to tangle into his sweat-soaked hair, the little curls forming again like they had when they went swimming.

"You're beautiful..."  
He whispered, a tear actually leaving his eye even though Alastor attempted to wipe them away.

Leaning up slightly, watching that tear as it left the blonde's eye, Alastor pressed his lips to where it fell down his cheek, huffing the smallest of laughs.   
"You too, mon amour."

Anthony closed his eyes and scrunched his nose a bit at the kiss, but continued to smile nonetheless.  
He really was at a loss for words. There was nothing that could compare to this feeling and these soft and tender moments. Even the pain that had begun to set in from their rather heated and incautious actions, the blonde was so happy to be with Alastor like this and be able to share it all with him, despite the expectations and norms of reality outside of those four walls.

"I think you're just swell..."   
Alastor whispered quietly, kissing down from Anthony's cheek to his lips, holding his own there for a few seconds before pulling back again.   
Letting his head rest down on the pillow below him, he reached out for Anthony's cheek again, gently cupping it.

Anthony leaned into Alastor's hand and closed his eyes, simply enjoying this perfect moment.   
His eyes shot open again, however, at the sound of the front door opening and closing again.   
In the pure perfection of the moment, Anthony completely forgot about Amélie.

Alastor's tired eyes shot open at the loud sound of the front door opening and closing being heard through the floorboards.   
"Damn it."   
He cursed, thighs and back aching as he scrambled to his feet.

The blonde's body became tense and the pain really set in as he started trying to move, actually going too far and falling off of the bed with a loud yelp and a thud, causing Alastor to jump at the sound.

"Alastor? Is everything alright up there?"  
The woman called as she started moving through the house.

Hearing the creaking of the stairs, footsteps approaching, Alastor held his hand out for Anthony, pulling him upwards and towards him, earning a hiss from the blonde's clenched teeth and a hand moved up to cover his mouth to keep himself quiet.

"Stay in the bathroom."   
The brunette spoke quickly, hauling Anthony along with him as he flung his bedroom door open and hightailed it across the hall, shoving the Italian in the bathroom as carefully as he could before making a run for his room again. 

"Everything's just dandy, Mama!"   
Alastor called out, his voice raspy and throat still dry.

Once Anthony was closed in, he started to move over to the bathtub so he could start to clean himself up, ending up falling in completely with another thud and a grunt.

Amélie, of course, heard this and raised a brow.  
"What on earth- I swear if the house is in shambles up there. I told the two of you to behave this morning before I left."  
She scolded as she made it to the top to the stairs, seeing Alastor's bedroom door just finish closing. She looked across and saw the bathroom door closed as well.  
"Alastor? What's going on?"  
She asked as she walked over to her son's door, giving a gentle knock.

Stood in the middle of his room, still not wearing a thing, Alastor frantically looked around. There were clothes thrown everywhere and the bed was a filthy mess. After having re-entered the room, he quickly realized that the smell in his room wasn't the most pleasant, and to top it all off, the canister of oil that had been on the table to the side of his bed had been knocked over in their struggle, a puddle of oil on the wooden floor below.

"Ah, nothing Mama. How was your day?"   
Hoping to distract Amélie while he did something about himself, Alastor threw on some underwear and a shirt he found on the floor, one that after throwing it on, he realized was actually Anthony's and was much too small for him.

Amélie raised a brow and tilted her head, getting a hint of sweat in the air.  
"It was... fine, dear. Thank you for asking."  
She said as she looked over to the bathroom door and started to move towards it.   
"Anthony? Are you in there?"  
She asked.

"Ye-"  
Anthony paused, clearing his throat to make it sound less squeaky.  
"Yes ma'am, I'm alright."  
He said quickly, hoping to all that was holy that she wouldn't come in.

Deciding to leave the shirt on, Alastor grabbed pants that he was positive were his, and pulled them on, hastily stuffing the shirt inside his pants and flinging his bedroom door open, stopping his mother from getting too close to the bathroom. He hoped with everything he had that she wouldn't go in. 

Amélie was about to go in and make sure Anthony was alright, his voice abnormal and slightly concerning, then Alastor came out and pulled her attention away.

"Mama- Anthony wasn't feeling well."   
Alastor began, his tired mind desperately grabbing for a story.   
"He's in the bath, trying to sweat out the illness."   
In all honesty, he wasn't quite sure what he was saying, especially since the water in the bath would have more than likely have been cold.  
"I was just changing my clothing. Anthony and I went up the bayou and my foot fell in the water."

"What- oh, _goodness_ Alastor. What have you been _doing_? It wasn't that hot out today and you don't sweat that much even when it is, and your shirt is-"  
As she continued, she started piecing it all together. Saying it all out loud seemed to help her visualize the events leading up to this.

Anthony was clearly rushed to the bathroom, Alastor rushed back to his bedroom probably to get clothes on, came out in a sweaty mess smelling like the swamp itself, wearing a shirt that was too small probably due to his rush, having grabbed Anthony's instead, meaning Anthony was likely without clothes as well, also meaning that Anthony had undressed in Alastor's bedroom...

Amélie slowly nodded and cleared her throat.  
"Right, well, I'll let you boys get cleaned up. I'm going to get changed and make something to eat."  
She said with a nod, moving to her room now.  
"Should I make some for you two as well?"

Alastor was silent as his mother spoke, his now sheepish gaze falling to the ground. It was very clear to him that by this point Amélie had at least an inkling of a clue what had been going on between him and Anthony. 

"Yes, Mama... that would be swell. Thank you. I will be down shortly."   
Alastor spoke curtly, stepping slowly back towards his room again.  
"I apologize for any unexpected happenings just now."

Amélie simply shook her head.  
"No need to apologize, dear. As I've said before, you're both safe in this house."  
She said with a small smile before closing the door to her bedroom.

Anthony listened to the conversation just outside and covered his embarrassed face, not having moved from his disheveled position in the bathtub; his legs hanging out of the side and body awkwardly contorted to lay within it.

As soon as he watched his mother's door close, Alastor visibly sighed before turning to go into his room, looking around with a shake of his head as he realized that Anthony was still in the bathroom. Turning around again, he left his room and moved across the hall to the bathroom, lightly knocking on the door.   
"May I come in?"

Anthony nodded but remembered that Alastor couldn't see him, now quietly giving a 'yes'.   
As the door began to open, he went to fix his position but it hurt too much. He managed to bump his head not once but twice during the falls and stumbling. It wasn't terrible, but it did kind of hurt.

Alastor quickly stepped into the bathroom, closing and now locking the door behind him as he looked to Anthony with a sigh, seeing his distorted figure and green eyes peaking just over the side at him.  
"I'm sorry you were thrown in here."   
Alastor chuckled slightly, yet his tone was sincere nonetheless.   
"You don't look comfortable in there, much less without there being any water."

Anthony huffed and chuckled as well.  
"Oh please, this is the most comfortable I've ever been."  
He said sarcastically, waving a hand in a dismissive manner.  
Of course, stumbling and falling into a bathtub buck naked with an already sore and aching body was far from comfortable. Not to mention the fact he was too weak right now to get himself out of this awkward position.

"It's probably good there ain't water in here. If there was when I fell in, it'd be everywhere but in here... or I'd probably be drownin'."  
He added with a shrug, letting himself relax again.

"It seems that the both of us are quite disastrous when in a rush."   
Alastor replied with a laugh now, gesturing down to the shirt which was clearly not his. He'd undoubtedly need to wash up too, but he'd wait until Anthony had done so first.   
"Do you want some painkillers, mon amour?"

Anthony looked to his lover again, now noticing the shirt since his was pointed out and started to silently laugh, bringing a hand up to rub his eyes.   
"Oh my god..."  
He muttered.

"Painkillers would be great; but first, get me outta this position."  
He sighed as he calmed from his silent laughing fit, nudging Alastor with his foot.   
"Killin' my back even more over here-"

Smiling a little, Alastor leaned down, arms wrapping around Anthony from underneath within the bath and hoisting him up as carefully as he could. Thankfully, he was able to get his lover into a comfortable enough position to lay in.   
"I think Mama knows."   
He eventually spoke, starting to run the bath for Anthony now.   
"We weren't exactly discrete, unfortunately, but to be fair, she arrived home earlier than expected."

Anthony gave a small 'grazie' as he was helped, but his smile faltered a bit at that.   
"I heard... she _definitely_ knows."  
He replied softly, running his fingers through his own hair a bit.  
"If she didn't b'fore, when she sees me, it'll be obvious."  
He chuckled as he gestured to the marks Alastor left that _definitely_ wouldn't be covered by his collar.

Now that Anthony pointed it out, it really was painfully obvious. Bringing a hand up to Anthony's chin, Alastor hissed in a breath, mentally scolding himself for biting his lover so much.

"I'm afraid this will not be covered by a shirt."   
Alastor announced, trailing a finger to a particularly red bruising mark that was just on the underside of Anthony's jaw. Very obvious.   
"We'll have to think of a solution for that. I don't think anyone will find it appropriate in the slightest, I'm sorry."

Anthony simply smiled and shook his head, deciding to make dangerous light of the situation.  
"At least everyone's gunna know I belong t' someone. Ain't open season over here."  
He replied, taking Alastor's hand and kissed his knuckles. Of course, with how the times were, it was dangerous as it was to be doing things like this heterosexually. He guessed he was just lucky he wasn't a woman; women were shunned the most when it came to these matters.

Alastor couldn't help but laugh a little more at that, cheeks flushing, even if slightly.   
"Hm, perhaps it _is_ a good thing then."   
He replied, pulling away from Anthony and standing, moving over to the cabinet in the bathroom and bringing over a small glass bottle to the bathwater that was beginning to rise.   
"This should help you relax."   
He smiled, unscrewing the cap and pouring a little of the liquid into the water, the smell of lavender filling the air.

Anthony chuckled at the blush that came to his lover's cheeks, feeling proud of himself and labeling it as an accomplishment.   
The smell of lavender was extremely pleasant, closing his eyes and humming for a moment before looking up at Alastor again, now trying to hold back a laugh as he covered his mouth.

Just about to put the small glass bottle back in the cabinet, Alastor raised a brow, looking over his shoulder at Anthony who had a hand to his mouth. 

"What?"   
He grinned, focusing on Anthony's dimples now.   
"Is it my sh- well, _your_ shirt?"

The blonde nodded, taking his hand away from his mouth.  
"D' ya like it? Ya look like you're gunna pop the buttons."  
He laughed.  
"Some kinda beast that grew too fast."  
He huffed, bringing his hands up to run his fingers through his hair, shaking his head and still laughing.

"Pop the buttons? Why, Anthony, you're giving me more credit then you should. I may have muscles, as we all do, but I'm still quite the beanpole."   
Shaking his head with a laugh, Alastor moved across the small bathroom to the mirror on the wall, giving himself a once over.   
"I will admit, it's a tight fit but-" 

"No, don't! You're gunna-!"

Just then, Alastor flexed his left arm, eyes widening at the sound of material ripping at the seams.   
"Oh."   
Looking over his shoulder at Anthony again, he began to laugh.

Anthony watched with a raised brow and at the sound of the rip, he couldn't help the hysteric cackling that felt him as he leaned over the side of the tub that lasted a good minute, words trying to escape but were overrun by a stampede of gasps and laughs.

It took a good few minutes before he was able to get anything coherent out.  
"You... you-"  
He coughed out as he started to bring himself up again, cheeks hurting from the amount of smiling and sides hurting from the laughing fit.  
"You're gunna have t' give me one a' your shirts now, y' know that, right?"

As Anthony laughed, Alastor too found himself in hysterics, inspecting the ripped seam of the shirt.   
Waiting until both himself and Anthony had calmed themselves a little, Alastor finally was able to speak up.   
"Yes- I suppose I might have to."   
He laughed, holding his head in his hands for a few seconds, continuing to chuckle.

Anthony shook his head, still huffing out small chuckles as he simply admired the view of his lover.  
"Alright, go get me some painkillers b'fore the pain kills me."  
He smirked, bringing his arms up to rest on the edge of the bathtub, chin resting on his arm.

"Yes, that's probably best."   
Alastor laughed.

Amélie happened to be making her way down the stairs now that she had changed and paused, hearing the laughs from the bathroom. She was glad the boys were still having a good time despite the clear shock of her arrival.

The woman took a breath and made her way over to the door, giving a gentle knock.  
"Alastor, dear?"

Clearing his throat, Alastor began to make his way over now, knowing that his mother had perhaps heard the laughter.   
"Ah, yes Mama?"

As soon as the door opened, Amélie noticed the ripped shirt on her son's body, a hand flying up to her mouth as she let out a small giggle.  
"Oh- so _that's_ what you two were laughing about."  
She smiled, stepping forward and waved her hand so Anthony would be able to see while she didn't disturb his privacy.  
"Hello Anthony, I hope you're doing alright."  
She said.

Anthony smiled and sat up a bit.  
"Hey, Amélie. I'm alright, thanks. How're ya?"

"Very well, thank you."  
She replied, stepping back again.  
"Come along, Alastor, get properly cleaned up and I'll bring the medicine. You smell horrible-"  
She said with a nod, making her way to the stairs again.

Chuckling as his mother looked at the ripped arm of the shirt, Alastor nodded.   
"Oh, _thank_ you, Mama."   
He responded with a hint of sarcasm due to the fact that she'd just told him he smelled.

As Amélie left to retrieve the medication for Anthony, Alastor returned to his lover's side in the bath, turning off the water now that the tub was near filled.   
"Is the warm water helping with the pain? I'm sure with painkillers on top, you'll be right back to normal in no time at all."

Anthony smiled and nodded.  
"It's helpin', yeah."  
He replied, looking up at the man, smile still wide. He brought a hand up and examined the rip in the fabric a bit.  
"So handsome it couldn't handle it."  
He chuckled, bringing his hand up further and cupped Alastor's cheek.

Alastor smiled, looking down at himself as well. He really was and felt like a mess.   
"I would take it off, however, I don't think Mama would appreciate it too much. I'm sure she's had quite enough surprises for one day."   
Leaning into Anthony's hand, eyes closing, it wasn't long before there was another quiet knock on the door again.

"I have everything here for you."  
Amélie called softly, quick in fetching the painkillers and a glass of water. She was hesitant to knock at first, overhearing their sweet conversation. She was almost envious but was extremely happy that Alastor had found someone who would treat him perfectly and shower him with the compliments that he deserved. To top it off, Alastor wasn't brushing any of them off like he normally would. Well, he was, but she knew he was still taking them to heart.

Anthony removed his hand from his lover's face and leaned back into the scented water with a content sigh.

Reluctantly pulling away from his lover, Alastor stood up straight again and made his way back to the door.   
"Thank you, again Mama."   
Alastor spoke as he opened the door, keeping it slightly closed so Anthony would still have his privacy.   
"Uh, we'll both be down for dinner shortly. I have some cleaning up to do, but I will help you out with the food when I am finished."   
He nodded.

Amélie smiled and passed everything over to her son with a nod.  
"There's no rush, dear. Take your time."  
She nodded, turning again to go back downstairs.

Anthony tilted his head slightly as he watched Alastor, appreciating the door remaining mostly closed.

Nodding in thanks, Alastor carefully closed the door behind him, turning back to Anthony.   
"Here you are, my dear."   
He smiled, passing over both the pills and the glass of cold water before taking a seat on the floor beside the claw-foot tub.   
"If you don't have any plans for tomorrow, then in the morning we can simply rest if you wish? I don't want you in pain before the carnival on Thursday."   
Alastor spoke, mild concern in his tone.

Anthony quickly took the pills and downed them with the refreshing water, nodding a bit.  
"That might be an alright idea. We also gotta figure out a way t' cover these works of art on my neck."  
He replied, taking another few sips of water.   
"Without havin' me look weird and overheat-"  
He added.

Alastor sighed at that, slowly nodding. There was always the option of simply wrapping a bandage around Anthony's neck, however that would look a little strange no doubt.  
"We'll figure it out somehow. And you never know, perhaps Mama will hold a solution."

Anthony nodded, smile not faltering as he leaned up against the side of the tub again to be closer to Alastor, bringing his hand up to card his fingers through his lover's hair carefully. Still kind of damp and definitely still had those hints of curls.  
"I love you."  
He hummed, green eyes admiring the man's features.

Alastor hummed in reply, his tired eyes closing slightly as he rested his head both against the side of the tub and in Anthony's hold.   
"I love you too my dear."   
He really wanted to change out of the clothes he was in and wash up, but Anthony seemed so relaxed in the bath and he didn't want to rush him in any way.   
"I'm sorry we had to rush to get up earlier. If I could have, I would have happily laid beside you for hours."

Anthony hummed and placed a kiss to Alastor's forehead.  
"It's alright. We'll have all of t'morrow."  
He replied softly.

It took them about an hour to get cleaned up and not smelling like sweaty men, Anthony having to borrow one of Alastor's shirts considering the one he had was now in need of mending.  
Thanks to the painkillers and bath, Anthony wasn't in nearly as much pain as he would have been without.

Now all fresh and clean again, hair as neat as it usually was, Alastor helped Anthony down the stairs and into the kitchen, the wonderful smell of his mother's cooking flooding the house.   
Unfortunately, the two men hadn't been able to come up with any sort of solution to the painfully visible marks on the underside of Anthony's jaw and neck going down, and it was even more visible with Alastor's larger shirt hanging off the blonde, but at least while they were within the walls of the Levesque home, he was safe.

Amélie was downstairs in the kitchen preparing a meal for all three of them when they started heading down. She kept her smile up as she turned to them as they entered the kitchen.  
"Good timing. Supper is nearly ready."  
She nodded, turning back to the stove.

"It smells simply delightful, Mama. It wouldn't happen to be jambalaya now, would it?"   
Brow raising, interest piqued, Alastor could already feel his mouth watering.

Amélie smiled and nodded.  
"Why yes! I know you much you love it and I can't remember if Anthony has had it before or not."

Anthony nodded.  
"I think I had it once."

Amélie finally looked over and took a good look at the two, raising a brow at Anthony's shirt and noticing some of the marks.  
"Oh, goodness. We're going to have to do something about those. Alastor, honestly. Why can't you play nice with the other children?"  
She scolded as if he was still a boy.

Alastor didn't say anything in response to his mother's sarcastic scolding, simply standing there with his usual smile upon his face.

Anthony sheepishly brought a hand up to his neck and felt his cheeks warming up.  
"Kinda wonderin' if ya had somethin' t' help with coverin' 'em actually."

The woman raised a brow and nodded.  
"Of course I do. We'll have some food first, and then I'll get right to it. Will you be staying the night?"  
She asked.

When Amélie asked whether Anthony was staying the night and the blonde looked to him, Alastor's lips pursed together in thought. He didn't want Anthony to be alone that night, nor did he want him waking up alone in the morning in pain, so it was a no brainer really.   
"Yes, I think it would be best if he stayed with us tonight if you don't mind, Anthony."  
Alastor smiled.

Anthony smiled and shook his head.  
"Don't mind at all!"

"Wonderful! Now, supper is almost ready. Alastor, be a dear and set the table for me?"  
Amélie asked as she gave the pot one more good and thorough stir.

Smiling at Anthony and nodding at his mother's request, Alastor moved across the kitchen towards the cutlery drawer and picked out all that was needed. From there, he moved into the dining room and set the table, bringing in glasses of water for everyone as well.   
Soon enough, the table was set, the food was ready, and everyone was sitting down.   
Alastor was somewhat concerned that Anthony would have trouble with that part, however, he didn't say anything otherwise.

Anthony thanked Amélie graciously and was about to sit down but he excused himself back to the kitchen, deciding that another small dose of painkillers wouldn't hurt.   
He was quick in fetching another pill and then rejoined them, carefully sitting down with a small wince and took it with a sip of water.

"What did you boys end up doing today? Were you home all day or did you happen to go out?"  
Amélie asked, not going to touch the subject of their intimacy.

Alastor too took a sip of his water upon sitting down, his throat still dry from earlier.   
When his mother asked what they had been up to that day, Alastor now had no reason to need to lie, so simply told her.   
"Well, Anthony and I actually had something of a picnic today. Near the field where the carnival is every year. We decided to give it a look around, and you know what? There was a circus there too, Mama."

Amélie raised a brow.  
"Oh really? That's never happened before. It must have been a last-minute sort of thing."  
She said as she loaded up her spoon and took a bite.

Anthony took his bite as well, brows raising in pure enjoyment. This dish was extremely good and something he could have sworn he had before. Maybe he had it during his first visit, but he couldn't be sure.

"This is amazing, Amélie. Thank you."  
The blonde said with a smile.

"Oh, you're quite welcome, Anthony."  
She nodded, appreciating the compliment.

Alastor didn't waste a second in digging into the wonderful favorite dish of his, humming in contentment at all the delicious flavors that were so familiar to him.   
"Yes, we did see a few posters up about it though."   
Alastor added in between bites, taking another sip of his water.   
"And then Anthony and I were allowed to take a look around the circus while everything was being set up, which was just berries. The people there were awfully nice."

"Oh, well that does sound like quite the fun-filled day!"  
Amélie replied with a small laugh, glad to see that they weren't cooped up inside all day.  
"What sorts of acts did they have?"

Anthony finished his mouthful, the topic quite exciting for him.  
"Oh, there were lots! Some real flexible people that fit into the tiniest boxes that I couldn't squeeze into when I tried, strong people that lifted amazing amounts of weight, people flyin' in the air and swingin' off of each other, fire, big animals like lions-"

" _Lions_?"  
Amélie chuckled, so happy to see the blonde so full of childlike wonder. It reminded her of Alastor on the rare occasion that she would have been able to take him.

Anthony nodded quickly.  
"Mhm! It was the neatest thing I've ever seen!"  
He beamed.

Alastor really couldn't help himself as he simply stared at Anthony across the table, his smile wide as he watched his lover talk excitedly about the circus and what they had seen there that day. He was so happy that Anthony had been able to experience these things with him. 

"And when we both go to see the carnival and circus on Thursday, we'll let you know how it goes."   
Alastor smiled, pulling his gaze away from Anthony to look to his mother, taking another bite of the jambalaya.

Amélie nodded and looked to her son as he spoke up.  
"I'd like that. Perhaps I'll go and see it for myself on Friday if I have time."

The rest of the meal went quite well, having discussions of everything they managed to accomplish over the past six days and the plans they had yet. Amélie also made sure to remind them to be careful with the murder that happened the night before.

Once everything was finished and cleared away with the dishes done, Amélie excused herself to go and get something from upstairs to help with the marks, leaving Anthony and Alastor alone in the lounge for a few minutes.

"So ah... there's somethin' I gotta ask about a little later."  
Anthony said softly, a few things on his mind from the conversations at the dinner table.

Alastor was sat in his armchair, full from the wonderful dinner, and still exhausted. As Anthony spoke, Amélie upstairs, he turned to his lover with a nod.   
"Of course, my dear."   
He responded equally as softly, smile wide.   
"What's on your mind, mon amour?"

"Wait 'till she goes t' bed."  
Anthony knew Amélie wouldn't be long upstairs and didn't want anything to be brought up that shouldn't.

He was right though, not a few moments later, Amélie was making her way back down shortly after with a small bowl of water and... a toothbrush?

Nodding in understanding, Alastor watched as his mother returned, tools in hand. He was certainly curious to see how his mother would hide Anthony's deepening red marks.

Anthony looked over and his brow raised.  
"Uh... what 'cha got there?"  
He asked, wondering why with the toothbrush.

"The answer to hiding your secrets."  
The woman replied with a wink as she set the bowl down on the side table, a cloth soaking inside.  
"Don't worry, this one is unused."

"A toothbrush?"   
Alastor questioned, sitting forwards in his seat so that he could watch.   
"I don't see how that will work, Mama."

"I'm going to show you a magic trick."  
She said as she sat beside Anthony and carefully had him tilt his head so she could get at the harshest mark, gently running over it in circular motions with the bristles.

Anthony simply looked at Alastor was Amélie did her so-called magic trick.  
"Wouldn't this just make it redder?"  
He asked.

"That's more or less what we want."  
She nodded with a smile.  
"I'll only do the ones that aren't easily hidden."

Alastor watched carefully as his mother began to work the toothbrush against his lover's skin, as odd as that was. Of course, being a nurse, he trusted his mother completely, however, he still couldn't quite see how making Anthony's neck even more red would solve anything.

"If you do this right, it helps blood flow to the area, taking the vessels out of their shocked state. Then we cool the area with ice, or cold water in this instance, to bring that redness down."  
The woman explained.   
"I've heard toothpaste can sometimes help too, but that supposedly takes twenty-four hours to really do anything."  
She hummed as she continued.

Anthony had to admit, that was pretty smart, though the toothpaste thing didn't seem to quite add up for him.

Alastor smiled in surprised approval, his mother's method making quite a bit of sense. At least the marks wouldn't be too red for when Anthony was walking out and about.   
"Perhaps you can also find a higher collared shirt to buy. I think they look quite smart, especially with your other shirt being ripped now."   
Alastor added.

Amélie finished up the first mark and gave a nod.  
"That should do it for now."  
She said as she moved down to the next mark.  
"Gracious, you poor thing... he really didn't go easy, did he-"  
She sighed, glancing at Alastor for a moment.

Anthony raised a brow at his lover, smirking a little.  
"No, ma'am, he definitely didn't."

Still watching as Amélie worked, Alastor shrugged slightly as his mother glanced to him; and when Anthony caught his eye, his smile grew.

"Well, it's not like anything I did wasn't asked for."   
He batted back with a smirk of his own, voice a little quiet.

Anthony's nose scrunched and his cheeks warmed a little at that, playfully shaking his head.

"You don't have any, do you?"  
She asked Alastor now, glancing to him for a moment, catching his expression to the blonde.

Alastor's attention was back on his mother at that, clearing his throat.   
"Ah, yes, however, they're not visible with a shirt on thankfully. I'll be fine."   
He nodded, having looked at all the marks that Anthony had given him when he was washing in the bathroom earlier.

Amélie gave a nod and continued working on Anthony, making sure to get the marks on his collarbone. She knew how he liked to have the top two buttons of his shirt undone.  
Afterward, she set the toothbrush down and grabbed the cloth from the bowl, wringing it out and then had the blonde hold it to his skin.  
"We'll check them in about ten minutes and see how they are."

Anthony smiled a bit and nodded.  
"Thanks again. For all this..."

"It's only natural, Anthony. I'm glad to be of help."  
The woman nodded, excusing herself to go and empty the bowl of water.

Alastor knew that his mother's natural instinct was to care for people, her profession only solidifying that- and he was more than thankful to her that she had been able to help Anthony here. 

"Thank you, Mama."   
Alastor spoke just before Amélie left the room, catching her eye and nodding in her direction.

Looking to Anthony once his mother had left the room, Alastor smiled again, gently reaching out for his hand, placing it on top of the blonde's for a moment.

Anthony looked back to his lover and raised a brow, taking his hand carefully.  
"Gunna play nice with me and the other kids now, Al?"  
He questioned with a sly smirk, referring to what Amélie teased him with before they sat down.

Alastor's eyes narrowed at that, the brunette leaning back in his seat again, leg crossing over the other.   
"Well, that depends, Anthony dearest... will you behave?" 

Anthony almost froze at the response he was given, instinctively biting his lip with a growing smirk and gave a slow and subtle shake of his head. This was the kind of banter he found himself melting for every chance it happened to come up.

Smirk very much present, Alastor shut his mouth, attention turning towards the entrance of the lounge as he heard his mother moving back into the room.

"Let's check those quickly, hm?"  
The woman hummed as she took her seat next to Anthony again, having him take the cloth away.  
She inspected them a little more and nodded.  
"They should be hard to notice if not gone by tomorrow."  
She said as she stood again, having the blonde keep the cloth there for a little longer.

"Great, thanks, Amélie. I really appreciate the help."  
Anthony replied with a smile.

"Why Mama, you're a miracle worker."   
Alastor chuckled, glancing over at the once deep red marks on Anthony's jaw and neck, definitely looking a lot less angry already.   
"It's a good thing you were around after all."

Luckily, if they really were gone by tomorrow, then that would save Anthony any sort of embarrassment at the carnival and the circus, and just in general.

Amélie shook her head with a smile.  
"Not at all, though I do admit that being a nurse has its perks."  
She could barely get through that sentence before the telephone began to ring.

"Excuse me."  
She nodded with a smile, making her way over to the device and answered with a friendly 'bonjour' then fell silent as she listened closely, nodding along to whatever was being said.   
"Je suis en route. Garde un œil sur elle. À bientôt."  
[I'm on my way. Keep a close eye on her. See you soon.]  
She replied before quickly putting the phone down again and rushing upstairs without a second thought.

Anthony raised a brow and watched as she rushed back up the stairs.  
"She alright...?"  
He asked, looking back over to Alastor.

Alastor overheard his mother speaking on the phone, his interest piqued at what Amélie was saying.   
Once the phone was back and his mother was rushing up the stairs, Alastor turned to Anthony.   
"She mentioned that she had been tending to a heavily pregnant woman at work today, so I suppose the woman must have gone into labor."   
He hummed with a shrug.   
"It's happened many a time before, Mama having to leave during the night to tend to a patient."

Anthony gave a slow nod.  
"Oh, well, happy birthday t' that kid then."  
He shrugged, unsure of how to really respond to that.

Amélie didn't take long in changing at all, rushing down the stairs again.  
"I'm not sure when I'll be home. This is her first and by the looks of it, it's going to be a very slow and painful process. Behave, don't burn the house down, I'll see you boys soon."  
She said as she finished pinning her hair up and grabbed her bag.

"Good luck!"  
Anthony called as she rushed out the door, leaving them in silence once again.

Alastor waved in his mother's direction as she dashed past, calling out to her as she left.   
"Reviens en toute sécurité!"  
[Come back safely!]

With the sound of the door closing, Alastor looked to Anthony now that they were alone.   
"She'll be gone most of the night. What... did you want to talk to me about?"

Anthony started removing the cloth from his neck and gently rubbed his skin. He couldn't see the progress but it definitely felt better.  
"Hm? Oh, ah... she doesn't know about your 'fun', does she?"  
He asked.

Anthony really only wanted to be sure. Amélie would tell them to be careful while out on the streets, especially after something happened, but he wasn't sure if she was doing that to help hide her son's truths; make him look less suspicious.

Raising a brow at the question, Alastor slowly shook his head, eyes narrowing a little.   
"No, she does not need to know about that."   
He replied simply.   
"Any of it. I think she was shocked enough to find out about us."

Anthony nodded in turn, understanding that. At least he could confirm that she was genuinely concerned when she would tell them to be careful.

"Got it. I just wasn't sure."  
He said as he reached out and took his lover's hand.  
"She really is as innocent as she seems."  
He chuckled.

Taking Anthony's hand as well, Alastor smiled. However, that smile quickly turned into a grin as he scoffed with laughter, shaking his head.   
"Innocent? Well, I suppose in some instances, yes, but not entirely."   
He wasn't really sure whether he was supposed to say such a thing, but he had, and he couldn't take it back. Besides, it could have meant a huge variety of things.

Anthony was about to let the topic go but with the reply he was given just made him stick to it even more.  
"Not entirely?"  
He questioned.  
"What 'cha mean 'not entirely'? I mean, everyone's done somethin' bad in their lives, obviously, but the way ya said that just sounds like it's either a lotta things or one big thing-"

Alastor paused at that, knowing that Anthony would stick to this topic.   
"I don't mean anything in particular. It's as you said. Everyone does something in their life, whether that be a singular thing, or lots of things."

"Well, now ya got me curious. What's the story?"  
The blonde asked, leaning closer with a tilt of his head and giving Alastor's hand a squeeze. Then he remembered something from a long time ago; when he found the old photo including Alastor's father stored away.  
"Does it gotta do with your dad?"  
He pried.

"And how did you come to such a conclusion?"   
Alastor asked, neither confirming nor denying, but still curious as to why Anthony's mind would go to that, something that Alastor at least hadn't spoken about in a while.   
"Regardless, there is no story, and if there was a story, it's as I already said- the man committed suicide."

Anthony had to tread carefully with this, knowing that his answers would determine whether he could get answers without exposing himself for snooping around in the past.

"Was it _really_ a suicide though?"  
He continued, letting go of his lover's hand and leaning back in his own seat.  
"I know a lotta people capable of coverin' murder and disguisin' it as an accident or otherwise."

Alastor was silent for another moment more. As Anthony let go of his hand, he too sat back in his seat clearing his throat.   
"And there are also cases where things are genuine as they are told. No coverups of any sort."  
He replied.   
"It really was a suicide, Anthony dearest, and that story is final. His death certificate calls it that."

Anthony decided to move on and get to the more pressing topic of Amélie.  
"Alright, anyway. How didja mean she ain't entirely innocent? There's a story there and I'm interested."  
He pried again.

Alastor sighed, shaking his head.   
"I meant what you said yourself. Everyone has done bad things in their lives, my mother included since no one is entirely innocent. What exactly has she done that is so bad? Well, I do not know myself. I simply know that statement of yours to be true."

"Y' ain't gettin' outta this so easily. I know y' know at least a _little_ somethin'. Besides, I ain't exposed you, so I definitely ain't gunna expose her."  
Anthony continued as he stood up and moved over to sit on Alastor's lap, leaning into his chest.  
Now that he could, he wanted to be as close to his lover as much as possible since they were interrupted earlier.

Alastor raised his chin slightly, uncrossing his legs so that Anthony could come and sit on his lap, the brunette wrapping his arms around the other's waist as he leaned into his chest.   
"I wouldn't say that this is necessarily something she would be afraid of being exposed for, but there were a few times that I was sick when I was younger, and Mama would take things from the hospital for me. I suppose in some people's view, that can be seen as bad."   
Alastor explained with a small shrug.

Anthony's brows furrowed and shifted to properly look at the man.  
"That ain't _bad_ , that's a mother lookin' after her kid. I'd do the same thing if I were in her position, as would a lotta people."  
He shook his head and leaned back into his chest.   
"Try again."

Rolling his eyes with a grin, Alastor shook his head.   
"Why, it's like you're quizzing me, Anthony darling. I don't know what my mother has done, perhaps you should ask her yourself."   
He shrugged yet again, leaning forwards to rest his chin on Anthony's shoulder.

Anthony rolled his eyes, finding this venture to be fruitless. He didn't lose interest just yet, knowing Alastor knew something, but he figured that pressing for answers now wasn't going to get him anywhere.

The blonde sighed and turned his head slightly, nibbling Alastor's earlobe a bit before kissing just above his ear.  
"Maybe I will."

Alastor chuckled, a silent smirk rising to his face as he let his eyes close, focusing on Anthony's voice before replying quietly, in barely a whisper.   
"She won't tell you."   
You could practically hear the smirk behind Alastor's words- and as quickly as he had said them, he shut himself up again, leaning back in his armchair.

Anthony brought his arms up around his lover's neck and leaned with him, staying flush against him.  
"So you're sayin' ya _do_ know. Why ain't 'cha tellin' me, amore?"  
He whispered in his ear, shifting down to lightly kiss his neck.  
"Please tell me? I think ya teased me enough with this, hm?"

Alastor's lips pursed together, his palm pressed against Anthony's back, holding him up, the other hand still around the blonde's waist.   
Not only was this secret not his to tell, but it was also something that Alastor didn't know the entire story to. He had only been young when it had happened and told about it once quite a while ago.   
But... he supposed, just this once, he would let the secret slip. He trusted Anthony indefinitely, after all.  
Not to mention, Alastor knew that his lover's reaction would be nothing short of entertaining.

"The body was never recovered."   
Alastor started with a sigh, however, it was clear with his tone that he was still very much smiling, eyes closed.   
"I still don't know what she did with it to this day..."

Anthony stayed where he was but opened his eyes as he tried to connect the invisible dots in the air. He pulled away with furrowed brows, still trying to figure it out for sure.

"So-"  
He stopped, trying to work his mind around it. Either she was an accomplice to something, or she was the murderer. Was it an accident or was it premeditated? He couldn't see her hurting a fly, so the latter was harder to believe.   
It was probably self-defense if anything.

"So did she have somethin' t' do with your dad or was this some other person?"  
There were a lot of questions going through his head but that was the most important one that he had.

Alastor slowly nodded, smile widening.   
"She only ever harmed _him_. No one else."   
He replied as calmly as ever, completely as if he wasn't talking about a murder.   
He figured he would give Anthony the basic information and let him work out the rest by himself- after all, it was a rather touchy subject. Not one he particularly liked to discuss.

That's all Anthony really cared to know. Alastor's father must have been an extraordinarily horrible person for Amélie of all people to become violent. It made sense though, why they didn't have photos of the man anywhere.

He responded with a slow nod before leaning back in and placing kisses to Alastor's neck again.  
His first thought was something along the lines of 'I'm in a house full of murderers. Can't wait to sleep tonight', but then figured that wasn't exactly fair.   
Amélie was harmless and Alastor loved him; the man felt bad for grazing his cheek with a knife for god's sake. Anthony knew he was more than safe. Not like his life at home was much better either.

Alastor kept his eyes closed, focusing on the kisses that were being gently placed on and around his neck. He didn't know what else to say, or if he should have asked what else Anthony wanted to know. But, by the looks of things, Anthony falling silent too- Alastor supposed this was enough information for now. That was okay.

Anthony gave a small hum and sighed, placing a few more kisses of his lover's neck and jaw before stopping completely and then simply resting his head on Alastor's shoulder.  
"Y' wanna pick up where we left off upstairs?"  
He whispered.

Alastor slowly nodded in response to Anthony's whispers, knowing that their time together had unfortunately been cut short by Amélie's arrival earlier.   
"Let's go."   
He spoke gently, shifting to get up from his seat, Anthony still in his lap.

Anthony nodded and sat up, shifting to stand up again as he grabbed Alastor's hands to pull him up before leading the way back upstairs.  
"Should probably bring the oil back down."

"Yes, you're right."   
Alastor nodded as they began to make their way up the stairs. As the thought of sleep entered his mind, it reminded him of how tired he actually was. He definitely needed to rest, his lover in his arms.

Anthony brought his lover upstairs and opened the bedroom door, the smell of sweat had luckily subsided a little from the open window, the towel had been removed, and the oil he knew he accidentally knocked over in his panic had been cleaned up.

The Italian sighed, bringing the man to the bed and had him lay down first, grabbing the canister of oil.  
"I'll bring this back down. D' ya want a glass of water while I'm down there?"  
He figured he would offer. Alastor did look extremely tired.

Alastor looked to the canister of oil, knowing that there wasn't much left after the spillage earlier. He would buy some more for cooking purposes in due time.   
"Yes, thank you, Anthony."   
He nodded, smiling softly at his lover as he sat down on his bed, deciding he would change into more comfortable sleeping clothes while Anthony was downstairs.

Anthony nodded and placed a kiss to Alastor's forehead before heading back down to the kitchen. He put the oil back where it was usually found and grabbed two glasses, filled them with water, took a few more painkillers, made sure all of the lights were off on the main floor, and then made his way back up with a small hum.

He entered the room again and set the glasses on the nightstand before looking to his lover, who happened to be changing into his night clothes, with a small smile. He stepped closer and ran his fingers up and over the skin of his back and across his shoulders. He scratches from a while ago healed quite a bit, which he was happy about. 

He placed a kiss to the back of Alastor's neck and hugged him from behind.  
"Ciao, beautiful."  
Anthony hummed against his lover's skin.

With his back to the door, Alastor heard as Anthony walked into the room, a wider smile rising to his face as he then felt his lover's arms around him.   
Leaning his head back, he glanced over his shoulder. 

"Bonjour, mon amour."   
Alastor chuckled.

Anthony closed his eyes and smiled, feeling the warmth of his lover's body under his palms.   
"I love you."  
He sighed, placing another kiss to Alastor's neck.

Leaning into the blonde, Alastor nodded again, bringing a hand up to rest upon the other's.  
"Come to bed, darling."   
He spoke, gently tugging Anthony towards the bed.   
Sitting down on the bed, Alastor shuffled up, laying himself down under the covers and held them up and open for Anthony.

Anthony complied but stopped, taking his pants off first. He didn't want to be sleeping in those.  
He then crawled into bed with Alastor and cuddled right into him, wrapping a leg around his and placed his cheek on his shoulder.  
He could feel his own tiredness slowly creeping in, but he wasn't at the point he was ready to pass out yet. He brought his hand up to slowly rake his fingers through his lover's hair with a content sigh.

"I love you so much..."  
He whispered.

Alastor let his arms wrap around the smaller man, their legs entangling as he sighed softly in return.   
"My everything."   
Alastor whispered, leaning his chin forwards to press a kiss to the top of Anthony's head.   
"I love you so much."   
He repeated.

Anthony smiled and shifted to place more slow kisses to his lover's jaw and neck, humming a small 'ti amo' after each one as he continued to play with Alastor's chocolate tresses.

Alastor cherished every single one of the kisses, eyes closing more and more with every soothing word that Anthony spoke.   
Yawning gently, Alastor buried his face a little more into the top of Anthony's head, embracing him tighter.

The blonde smiled and slowly stopped, bringing his hands down to wrap around Alastor's body in a gentle embrace. He could already feel him relaxing and drifting off.  
"Sleep well, amore..."

Alastor sighed once again upon feeling Anthony's arms around him now.   
"G'night..."   
He whispered tiredly after a few moments, finally feeling the well-needed sleep take ahold as he drifted off.

Once the painkillers had kicked in, Anthony was able to sleep soundly throughout the night. He could admit that the medicine Alastor had available wasn't exactly what he was used to, but he would take what he could get.  
If he was honest, he didn't really _need_ to take the extra pill before going up to bed; he just felt like taking one more. He liked the feeling they brought him. He also had a feeling that Alastor would have advised him not to take another, knowing that he was just fine as he was, but boy did Anthony ever sleep well.


	50. Chapter 50

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Wednesday, August 8th, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

For the first few hours of the night, Alastor slept well. With Anthony in his arms, he had no reason not to after all.   
However, it must have been around four or five in the morning, when Alastor began to dream.

It was a strange dream by all means, yet the surroundings were awfully familiar as Alastor was pulled into the dream. He was seeing the familiar surroundings from a first-person point of view, and as the dream became clearer, Alastor was able to process those surroundings. He was standing outside his home, in the middle of the street to be exact. It was dark out, and he was facing the house opposite his own, the neighbor being the man that Alastor had been 'caring' for over the past few weeks.

He himself couldn't move on his own accord, however, it seemed that this dream was taking him towards that neighbor's house. There was a sudden moment of darkness before another familiar scene faded in. This time, it was unmistakably the bedroom of the elderly neighbor, and Alastor was looking down at the sickly man who lay in his bed, the elder barely breathing, chest heaving away.

A cold chill ran through Alastor's body, seemingly apart of the dream, yet the feeling was again familiar enough as he unwillingly crept closer and closer to the elderly man known as Mr. Cormier.

His view of the dream suddenly changed, not to something that Alastor had been expecting, and with that, the brunette shot up out of bed, eyes wide, now awake.

Breathing labored, Alastor completely disregarded the fact that Anthony was in his arms as he scrambled out of bed.

That had been no dream.

Naturally, Anthony was practically thrown out of his slumber and, just as he had the night before, fell onto the floor with a yelp.

"Alastor?!"  
He called once he managed to process what had happened, but his lover was already downstairs and at the door. He only knew this because he heard the door open and close again.  
Anthony's brows furrowed and quickly got to his feet, ignoring the mild pain from his tumble, and opened the curtain. It was still dark out so his vision was limited.

"What the _hell_ are ya doin'?"  
He muttered under his breath as he watched his lover's figure run across the street; still in his pajamas and bare feet.  
Shaking his head, the blonde started making his way downstairs. He couldn't leave the house because he was only in his shorts and still in one of Alastor's oversized shirts, so if anyone were to see him running after the man, eyebrows would certainly be raised.  
Once he got to the front door, he stood waiting just inside with the door slightly open so he could see when Alastor would be making his way back.

It wasn't too cold outside, so being in just his pajamas and bare feet wasn't too much of an issue. Even if it had been cold, Alastor was far too distracted.   
Rushing to the neighbor's home, Alastor ran around to the back of the house where the back door was always unlocked and simply walked inside. Everything was dark.

Alastor didn't care to make his presence known, and since the home was only one floor, in no time at all was he slowly opening the door to the elderly man's bedroom, looking inside.   
Again, it was dark, and everything within the room was just as it had been during the dream he'd just woken up from.  
In one of the corners of the room by the window, there was a standing mirror. Alastor briefly glanced at it, and as he did, his suspicions were confirmed. From the natural light of the outside, he was able to make out both himself in the mirror, and the shadowed entity standing directly behind him. It looked over his shoulder, staring right at him through the glass, it's smile wide.

"Why are you here."   
Alastor quietly whispered, turning away from the mirror and looking over to the man. He was pale, lips tinted blue, and upon placing a hand to his face, Alastor quickly discovered that indeed, he was dead.

Lips pursing together, Alastor slowly looked over his shoulder again.   
"Did you do this?"   
He stated, a little louder now, but he got no response from the entity.

Anthony stood waiting for a few moments before deciding to go back upstairs and make himself look a little more presentable.  
His legs were definitely stiff and only now noticed it as he started to climb the stairs again.

Once he was in Alastor's bedroom again, he turned the lamp on and put his pants on with some mild difficulty. He made sure to keep checking out the window to see if Alastor was on his way back over throughout and headed back downstairs.   
He stepped outside and slipped his shoes on before heading across the street. He saw Alastor go around the house so he figured that was his best bet in going after him.

To say that Alastor was annoyed, was quite the understatement. He didn't know if his neighbor had died as a result of his doing, or if his little shadowed friend had something to do with his dead- without Alastor's permission. He hadn't even processed the fact that his dream had been in the view of his shadow when he heard the back door opening. Most probably Anthony.

Leaving the body where it was, Alastor swiftly left the bedroom and made his way throughout the house to the back door- and sure enough, Anthony was stood there.   
"My apologies for waking you."   
Alastor spoke.

If he hadn't heard Alastor's footsteps, Anthony surely would have jumped out of his skin.

" _Wakin'_ me? Ya practically _threw_ me across the room...!"  
Anthony replied in a whispered yell before taking a breath.  
"What's goin' on? Everythin' alright?"  
He continued with a sigh, not about to dwell on the sudden awakening. Alastor was clearly distressed about something and Anthony knew his job was to help his lover in any way he could.  
That being said, he moved closer and placed a hand to Alastor's back and looked up at him in the nearly nonexistent light.  
"What happened, amore?"

Alastor raised a brow, unaware that he'd thrown Anthony across the room upon waking up. But, back to the matter of hand, there was no use in hiding anything.   
"The elderly man in there is dead."   
He stated rather simply, giving a nod.   
"I will wait until the morning before I announce it to anyone."

Anthony shifted to look back at the door that was left ajar and then back to Alastor.  
"Didja... come and finish the job just now or...?"  
He wasn't given a lot of context to the situation, so naturally, he was a little confused.

Alastor shook his head.   
"He was already deceased when I arrived."   
Still not giving Anthony much context, he looked behind him again in the direction towards the bedroom.   
"We can head back now if you wish. Again, I apologize for both waking and for throwing you out of bed."

Anthony gave a small nod, looking back once more. He was honestly too tired to start questioning anything.  
"It's alright. Let's go back t' bed, huh?"  
Just as he finished speaking, a yawn took over and he started to lead Alastor out so they could go back. He'd ask his questions later.

Alastor slowly nodded as he stepped out of the house now, closing the door and leaving everything as it had been before he arrived.   
"You know Anthony, you didn't have to follow me out here."   
He began, the two of them walking away from the house, Alastor only just now realizing that he had no shoes or socks on, and was in his pajamas still.

Anthony shook his head and sighed.  
"I know I didn't, but ya kinda scared me so I figured I'd see what happened after a few minutes of waitin'."  
He glanced down to Alastor's feet as they crossed the street.  
"If someone saw ya runnin' down the road as y' are now, I think they'd be worried too and maybe follow ya."

Alastor too looked down at his feet, cringing a little at how cold they were now against the path.  
"Yes... I suppose you're right. We'll have to discuss why I ran out. I would like your opinion on the matter."   
He nodded, the two of them making it up to the front door, Alastor opening it for Anthony, the two of them stepping inside now.

That confused the blonde quite a bit. What opinion could he give over this? They were peacefully sleeping and then they suddenly weren't; that's all he had to go off of. Either way, he gave a bit of a nod.  
"Alright. Let's see if we can get a little more sleep first though. I ain't hearin' many birds yet which means it's gotta be the crack o' stupid."  
He replied as he took his shoes off again, noticing that Alastor's mother still wasn't home.

Alastor had to agree there, it was awfully early and while they didn't necessarily have to be up in the morning, He was still quite tired after that sudden wake-up.   
Making his way up the stairs, Alastor went straight back to his bedroom, immediately wrapping himself up in the covers, feeling quite cold now.   
"Good night my dear."   
He mumbled, presuming that Anthony was behind him.

Anthony was indeed right behind him, however, trailed off at the top of the stairs.  
"Be there in a minute."  
He said as he went in and closed the bathroom door behind him. The sudden wake-up call left him without the chance to empty his bladder first, so that was his top priority.  
He made sure to wash his hands before going back to Alastor's room, closing the door behind him then took his pants off again, and crawled back into bed with his lover; cuddling in close just as they were before the disturbance.

While he waited for Anthony to return, Alastor simply closed his eyes, his face buried into his pillow.   
When he felt his lover's arms around him, his body close to his again, Alastor shuffled a little closer, turning his head so that he could see the blonde. 

"Sleep well, Anthony."   
Alastor spoke, raising a hand from under the covers to cup his lover's cheek and place a sweet kiss there.

Anthony hummed and smiled, returning the kiss before shifting to lay on top of Alastor and kissed his neck a few times. It was now that he was starting to think he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep.   
Back home, once he was woken up, that was that. He was never allowed to go back to sleep afterward.

"Your Ma ain't home yet..."  
He whispered after a few moments of silence.

Alastor nodded at that, enjoying the ginger kisses.   
"She's fine."   
He replied, raising an arm again and snaking it around his lover.   
"Birthing a child apparently takes a long time."

Anthony nodded, keeping his eyes closed.  
"It probably ain't fun."  
He muttered.  
"I dunno the first thing about any of that. Never even heard stories about it. Just know only women go through it."  
He shrugged.

Alastor chuckled a little, definitely believing that. It seemed that Anthony wasn't taught very much about things during his life at home.   
"No, I don't believe that it is fun in the slightest. Quite painful, awfully exhausting."

Anthony nodded again, trying to imagine how it all happened but stopped immediately. That wasn't something he necessarily wanted to be curious about and the thought alone was kind of terrifying. He'd never even seen a newborn child before; come November though, he would have a nephew. He forgot about that.   
Anthony knew his sister wouldn't like it, but she would probably end up with a child eventually too. That was a weird thought too, causing him to shake his head in hopes of clearing those thoughts away.

Looking at Anthony just as he shook his head, Alastor sighed again, leaning up to kiss him.   
"Get back to sleep, mon amour. I can tell you're overthinking things right now."   
He hummed with a smile, pausing a moment.   
"What are you thinking about?"

Anthony smiled a little and cracked his eyes open to look at his lover, humming in thought before speaking up.  
"Just how weird it is t' know that my brother and sister are eventually gunna have kids. Seems like only yesterday we were just little kids runnin' around and bein' silly..."  
He sighed, closing his eyes again.  
"My brother especially. Never thought he'd actually wanna be home with a little ankle biter. He and his wife decided they didn't wanna have a nanny so they're both stayin' home t' look after it. Parta the reason I'm even here so I guess I'm happy about it."  
The blonde rambled.

"Well, that's certainly a good thing then. You being here as a result of that is just swell."   
Alastor laughed again, taking in another breath before continuing on.   
"I do think it's quite unfortunate for your sister though. You say her interests lie with other women, yet it is almost inevitable that she will marry a man and have children."

Anthony shrugged.  
"All I know is that she's gunna be married off eventually. Kids ain't gunna be pushed on her so much 'cause dad only cares about keepin' our bloodline goin' and Gio's got that goin' already. Plus Maria ain't 'ideal', just like me, so she might not have to. Hard t' say. Don't mean I don't still feel bad for her though. I just want her t' be safe and happy."

Alastor nodded at that, understanding somewhat. It was awfully strange though, not being seen as 'ideal'.   
"Yes, well, I'm sure your sister will be alright then. As you said, you just want her to be safe and happy. I'm sure you're quite capable of making sure that happens."

Anthony nodded and inhaled his lover's scent deeply, holding the breath in for a moment or two before slowly exhaling.  
"Wish you could come home with me... even for a few days..."  
He sighed out, the thought coming out of nowhere, really.

Alastor felt a small smile tugging at his lips.  
"It would be an honor, my dear. If I were able to take the days off work, then I undoubtedly would go with you anywhere. And if it were easy on your end, I would stay with you in New York for as long as you wanted me to."

The blonde opened his eyes again and smiled. Those words meant so much to him, really.  
"Maybe when Gio's back t' work and I'm off the hook, we can work somethin' out."

Unfortunately, while in his tired haze, Anthony knew that they would have to be even more careful back in New York than they were here. Due to his job, they would hardly have any time to be close without someone likely from an allied family spotting them. It was a tightly knit web and everyone in the business knew everyone involved.   
It would be tricky, but he was certain they would be able to work something out.

Eyes slowly closing, Alastor nodded again, smile still very much there.   
"I wouldn't want to be the cause of you getting into any serious trouble."   
He replied gently.   
"But perhaps it may be possible for me to visit you someday."

"I know Molly would love t' meet 'cha."  
Anthony muttered, his own eyes closing again as well while his hand slowly moved up to cup Alastor's cheek carefully.

Alastor leaned into the hand to his cheek, glad to see that the Italian was falling asleep too.   
"Maybe one day..."   
The brunette whispered once more, eyes closing again before he felt himself start to drift off once more.

Anthony replied but it turned into incoherent mumbles pretty quickly. This was the first time he was ever able to fall asleep again after being woken up. Alastor seemed to perform miracles just by simply being close.  
He definitely appreciated the extra sleep though. It was much needed.  
  


When morning came around, Alastor woke up pretty easily, glad to see that Anthony was still sound asleep beside him. However, when he got out of bed to get ready for the day, he made sure not to wake Anthony or throw him out of bed this time. Since his lover looked so peaceful and sound asleep still, Alastor decided to let him stay sleeping for a little while longer.

After having a shower and getting dressed, Alastor quietly made his way down the stairs and to the phone. He wasn't sure if his mother was awake yet, or even home, but he had to make a call.   
Picking up the receiver, Alastor input the number to the operator, instructing them to put him through to the number that was for Rosie's home.

It was no surprise to anyone that Rosie was already awake as she answered the call. She'd actually been awake for quite a while.

"Rosie Fontaine speaking."  
She practically sang out, having quite a good morning it seemed. It had actually been that way since Madeline left.

Alastor cleared his throat once Rosie had answered, his smile growing.   
"Good morning, Rosie darling, I do hope you slept well."   
He began, knowing that she would recognize the voice, albeit crackly over the phone line.   
"I was wondering if you were busy at all today?"

"Am I ever too busy to make time for you, Alastor?"  
The woman chuckled lightly.  
"What time should I expect you and Anthony over?"  
She was always on the ball.

Alastor's smile only grew all the more.   
"Perhaps just after ten? Anthony is still asleep, so we might be a while still. I have some quite interesting events to tell both you and Anthony of, and I would like both of your opinions on it."

"Well, now you're just teasing me. That's a whole two and a half hours of sitting on the edge of my seat. I look forward to whatever it happens to be!"  
The smile was clear in the woman's voice.  
"I shall see you both at ten and not a minute later."

Chuckling, Alastor nodded, despite the fact that Rosie couldn't see him.   
"Yes, I shall see you then Rosie. We won't be early nor late, don't you worry!"   
With that, Alastor put the phone back up on the wall again, stepping away and turning towards the kitchen. Whether his mother was home or asleep, he wanted to at least make everyone breakfast while he still had the time and while Anthony was asleep.

Speaking of Amélie, after a long night of helping the woman through her labor and teaching the new midwives in the process, she was about to enter the home but ended up setting her bag down on the porch and going across the street to check on their dear neighbor.

She entered through the back door with a soft hum and made her way to the man's bedroom.  
"I apologize, Mr. Cormier, I-"  
She stopped in her tracks once her eyes landed on the body of the poor man. There was no mistaking that the man was gone, skin entirely pale and chest no longer rising and falling with air.  
Amélie made sure to check for a pulse to confirm before giving a small nod.

"A wonderful man left the world as a wonderful baby girl came into it..."  
She sighed, brushing a few strands of the man's thin white strands of hair from his forehead.

After a moment of silence, she made her way back home so she could make the right calls to report her findings.  
Amélie picked up her bag and stepped inside, going right for the phone.

Alastor had almost finished with breakfast and was about to wake Anthony up with breakfast in bed when he heard his mother entering the front door. Leaving the food in the kitchen, he walked out into the hallway to greet Amélie, however, paused upon seeing her on the phone.

"Good morning."   
He spoke quietly, waving in her direction as to not disturb her.

Amélie gave a nod and mouthed 'good morning' back as she waited to be patched through to the city morgue.   
As soon as she was answered, she began the conversation in French, explaining the situation and having an overall friendly conversation.   
Of course, due to her occupation, she would have to call and make reports quite often, so they were well acquainted.

It was fairly quick, and when she finished the call, she put in a new request and notified the man's family and loved ones.   
Finally, she set the receiver down and took a breath.

Alastor couldn't help but overhear the conversation his mother was having on the phone, a smirk rising to his face. He would, of course, be acting very surprised when she told him of their neighbor's death later, but it was amusing to him to be able to hear his mother speaking about it to presumably the city morgue.

Placing Anthony's breakfast upon a tray, Alastor left the kitchen, seeing his mother standing in the hallway again.   
"Everything alright?"  
He asked, head tilting.

The woman put a gentle smile on her face and turned with a nod.  
"Yes, Mr. Cormier passed away in the night."  
She replied softly.   
"They are on their way to pick him up and take him to examine him. Of course, it's quite obvious that the cause of death was his age, but they'll still have to make sure he's taken care of."

Alastor, of course, was shocked by this news.   
"He passed away, did he? Why, that's such a shame, Mama. I really did enjoy caring for him."  
Alastor spoke, sadness clear in his voice, even if he knew it was insincere.

"Yes, well... no matter for now."  
Amélie then made her way toward the kitchen, taking a look around.  
"Is Anthony still here?"

"Yes, he's asleep. I was just going to bring him breakfast. I made you some as well, I was unsure whether you were home or not, you see." 

He nodded, gesturing to the tray in his hands that he was about to bring up to Anthony.

Amélie smiled and nodded.  
"Thank you, dear. That's very kind of you."  
She paused, looking up at the ceiling for a moment as if trying to see if she could spot the blonde in question.  
"Go ahead. I'll be eating on the porch while I wait for Mr. Williams to come along."  
She said as she walked over to the plate that was left on the counter.

Nodding, Alastor carefully brought Anthony's breakfast up the stairs, quietly opening his bedroom door and closing it behind him. Looking over at the Italian, Alastor's smile only grew to something warm.   
Setting the tray of food down on the dresser, he moved to sit on the edge of the bed, reaching out for Anthony and running a hand through his tangled locks.

Anthony remained still, laying on his side with his back to the wall and curled in slightly.   
As he felt the gentle touch, he began to stir, eyes shifting under his eyelids and inhaling deeply. The scent of Alastor brought a smile to his lips and he started to open his eyes with a small hum.

Alastor stayed gently carding his fingers through Anthony's hair as he began to wake up.   
"Morning, mon amour."   
He spoke softly, shuffling back on the bed a bit to be closer.

Anthony blinked his tired vision away and smiled up at his lover.  
"Mornin'..."  
He replied, following it with a bit of a yawn, bringing a hand to his mouth to try and cover it.  
"What time is it?"

Alastor slowly lowered his hand from Anthony's hair, sitting back slightly as the other woke up.   
"Hm, almost eight I believe. I left you sleeping since you seemed tired. I don't blame you for it either, especially after yesterday."   
He chuckled.

Anthony scooted closer and wrapped his arms around Alastor's waist, nuzzling his face into his lover's stomach with a nod. The day before really was exhausting with the circus and such.  
"Plans for t'day?"  
He mumbled into his lover's body.

Alastor hummed in thought a moment, gently rubbing Anthony's back.  
"Rosie wants to see us at ten and not a minute later."   
He began, his smile so wide.   
"So we still have a while yet if you want to just relax until then, my dear."

Anthony nodded a bit, enjoying Alastor's scent fresh off of him. While they were in the French Quarter, he would have to stop at the hotel and freshen up and get a shirt that actually fit him.  
He sighed some nonsense in Italian before pulling away again and rubbed his eyes.

"I made you breakfast."   
Alastor spoke after a while, gesturing over to the dresser with another smile.   
"Mama's eating hers out on the porch while she waits for someone from the city morgue. She discovered the neighbor this morning."

Anthony sat up a bit and looked to the tray, his heart melting at the gesture.  
"Alastor..."  
He began slowly, looking up at him again with an expression that was purely soft and gracious, completely disregarding the death.  
"Why're ya spoilin' me so much? For someone who doesn't like sugar, you're incredibly sweet, y' know that?"  
He leaned in, placing a kiss to his lover's cheek.

Chuckling again, Alastor just shook his head, leaning into the kiss a little before standing up.   
"I figured why not. I didn't want you getting up early and having to walk downstairs for breakfast, especially after I woke you up so early this morning and tossed you. I apologize for that too."   
Picking up the tray again, Alastor carried it over and set it down beside the blonde.  
"How are you feeling now though? Did those painkillers help you through the night?"

Anthony smiled as the inner corners of his brows pulled up. He had never gotten breakfast in bed before unless he was extremely sick; stack the concern in his lover's voice and he was able to conclude that he officially snatched the best man available.

"They really did. Slept like a rock even after I woke up the first time, which never happens. Hardly any lingerin' pain too."  
He replied as he looked at the eggs, sausage, and toast on the plate.  
"God, you're perfect..."

Helping Anthony sit up, making sure that he was comfortable, Alastor moved the tray onto Anthony's lap, taking a seat beside him again.  
"I'm glad, mon amour. You deserve the sleep."   
He smiled, leaning his head back against the headboard, letting out a small yawn.

Anthony leaned into Alastor and used his fingers to pick a sausage up, not bothering with a fork for that.  
"How'd the birth go? Y' said she's home now, right?"  
He asked before taking a bite.

Alastor sighed, stretching his arms up with a shrug.   
"I don't know. I haven't spoken to Mama much this morning. I suppose it did go well, considering how much time she was over there."   
He replied.

"I'll ask when we go down."  
The blonde replied with a nod.  
"Have ya eaten yet?"  
He asked, taking another bite. He couldn't remember if Alastor had ever actually made him food before. He thought Alastor helped make something but he wasn't sure.

Watching as Anthony ate, Alastor nodded.   
"I had a small bite to eat downstairs, yes."   
He replied, glad that he seemed to be enjoying the food.   
"I believe those sausages are from the butchers. Mama probably picked them up yesterday."

Anthony hummed and nodded.  
"They're good."  
He commented, taking the last bite of the sausage. He would have offered some but Alastor said he already ate.

"Did Rosie want anythin' specific with us or is it just 'cause we can?"  
He asked after finishing his mouthful, licking his fingers clean before picking his fork up and digging into the eggs.

"I called her to ask if she was busy since I wanted to discuss this early morning's events with both of you."   
He nodded, knowing that he still had yet to even tell Anthony what had happened that morning.

Anthony nodded. He did want to know what the deal was with that but figured he would have to wait until they were at their friend's house.

He made sure to eat rather quickly, wanting to go down and see Amélie and see how things went that night.  
Taking the last bite, Anthony set his cutlery down and smiled, looking up at his lover.  
"That was good. Thank you."

Nodding with a smile, Alastor slowly stood from the bed again, picking up the tray with the finished plate on.   
"It's my pleasure, my dear."   
He smiled, glancing to Anthony's neck briefly.   
"The marks on you are almost invisible. I suppose the toothbrush trick worked after all."

The blonde's brows raised as he brought a hand up to his neck, seeing if he could feel the difference.  
"Yeah? Huh. Thank god for that."  
He chuckled, remembering how dark and noticeable they were the day before. There would have been no way of hiding them.

Alastor had to hide his disappointment a little bit, a part of him wishing that the marks could be visible to all, but he also understood that Anthony didn't want anyone questioning anything if they saw them. 

Of course, Anthony was a little disappointed about not being able to flaunt his lover's beautiful works of art on his skin but knew it was for the better.  
He would make sure that Alastor stuck to his upper arms and below the collar next time just so that he'd be able to keep them.

The blonde started to crawl out of the bed as well, his hair still pretty messy even after Alastor combed his fingers through it, strands sticking up and out at random.  
He brought his arms up and stretched them out over his head, the big sleeves of Alastor's shirt falling down his forearms a bit.

He watched a bit as Anthony stood and stretched, a chuckle escaping his lips at the sight of Anthony in general, large shirt almost swamping him.   
"God, you're beautiful."   
Alastor laughed, looking down at the tray before looking back up at Anthony again.   
"I'll be downstairs for when you're ready."

Giving a nod, the blonde smiled at the compliment, even finding his cheeks warming.  
"Alright. I'll be quick."  
He replied as he picked his pants up and started gathering his socks to be put on.

Giving Anthony a small wave as he left the room, Alastor closed the door behind him and began to make his way back down the stairs again to the kitchen.  
It didn't take him very long to clear away all the dishes from breakfast, both washing and drying them, and soon enough he was walking out onto the porch where his mother still sat.   
"Mama, have they come to take the body?"

"Yes, they just left."  
Amélie replied, having just sat down again on the front step. She still had yet to change her clothes and rest after her long night.

Anthony didn't take long in joining them outside, having gotten himself dressed and presentable; his hair not askew anymore.

"Mornin', Amélie."  
The blonde greeted as he stepped out.  
He was about to walk up to Alastor and wrap an arm around his waist but remembered that he couldn't while they were outside, so instead, he leaned on the railing of the porch.  
"How'd it go last night?"

Amélie smiled and looked towards Anthony as he made his presence known.  
"It went very well, thank you."

Looking to the door as Anthony stepped out, Alastor smiled towards his lover.   
"We've still got a while before we have to head off."

Anthony responded with a nod, pulled out his cigarette case and set one between his lips as he looked at the house as well, putting the case back and then patted himself down in search of his lighter. With a silent tut, he remembered that his lighter broke yesterday.

"You should get some sleep Mama."   
Alastor spoke, knowing that she hadn't rested in a long while and was most probably exhausted.

"Let me mourn a little longer."  
Amélie replied simply as she looked at the house across the street.

Alastor had to turn himself away so that his mother wouldn't see the way that he quietly scoffed.  
"And what, if I may, do you suppose the cause of death was?"   
Now that was something that Alastor was genuinely interested to know, his gaze catching Anthony as he pulled out a cigarette, however no lighter.

Remembering that Anthony's lighter had been smashed, Alastor reached into his own pocket for his matches.   
"Here-"   
He spoke, waiting until Anthony had put the cigarette between his lips before he struck a match, leaning over to light the end of the cigarette for the blonde, pinching his fingers to the match afterward to put it out.

Anthony smiled a bit and accepted the offer, taking the first drag.  
"Grazie, amore."  
He replied softly, adding a wink at the end.

"It was obviously his age."  
Amélie shrugged.  
"He was getting better. I swear to it... but I suppose it was just his time to go and make room for the little bundle of sunshine to come in."

"Oh yes, he was quite old wasn't he. It's such a shame, Mama, I really am quite upset that I won't be able to care for him anymore."   
That was, without a doubt, true. Alastor was very much upset that his 'care giving' towards the elderly man was no longer going to continue. He would have to find another to fuel his amusement.

Amélie hummed, smoothing her skirt out a bit.  
"I'm sure there will be more opportunities for you to care for people, my dear. You did a wonderful job with Mr. Cormier and I know he appreciated your efforts."

Now having confirmation that Amélie didn't know what Alastor had done, Anthony looked off to the side.   
He never had the chance to meet the man, but he sounded like a very sweet person who didn't deserve to be subtly and strategically murdered.   
He wasn't going to say anything though. He didn't know the man nor any facts about the situation, nor was he going to pry for answers either. He might ask Rosie about it while they were there.

Glancing off towards the direction of the neighbor's house, Alastor slowly nodded. Had his shadow been the one to finish Mr. Cormier off? Was it a result of Alastor's ministrations over the weeks, or was it really just old age? Alastor wanted to find out to be sure, but he had a feeling that he wouldn't ever know. That both annoyed and frustrated him to no end.

After a few more moments, Amélie got up from where she sat and brushed herself off.  
"Well, I suppose I'll be off to bed. I have to return later this evening to check on the baby."  
She said. It had been a long night, but not as long as she initially thought it was going to be. Either way, she was tired and ready to rest.

Anthony brought his attention back over and smiled a bit.  
"Sleep well, Amélie. We'll see ya a little later."

The woman nodded with a smile, tilting her head slightly.  
"The marks are nearly gone. Good."  
She said as she then headed inside.  
"Behave yourselves today."

"Rest well, Mama."   
Alastor nodded in her direction as he pulled out his own cigarette box and lit one quickly. Taking a drag and looking back over at Anthony, he smiled. He figured that the blonde would probably be wanting to get back to the hotel at some time today, so it was probably best if they set off for the French Quarter earlier than usual for Anthony to do that.

"Wanna get goin'? I don't exactly like the idea of showin' up t' Rosie's lookin' like a lousy dewdropper."  
Anthony said, glancing down at himself and took another drag of his cigarette. He had done his best to make the oversized shirt look normal and decent, but it was still quite obvious it was too big for him.

Chuckling, Alastor nodded. He already had everything he would need on him, so he was more or less ready to go.   
"Oh, you're welcome to keep the shirt if you want."   
He spoke up, glancing over his shoulder at Anthony with a small wink as he began to walk down off the porch.

The blonde smirked and followed behind his lover after slipping his shoes on.  
"I might just take ya up on that offer, Smiles."  
He _loved_ wearing Alastor's shirt if he was honest. It smelled like him and felt like a hug even without Alastor himself actually touching him. He was actually thinking about 'accidentally' forgetting to give it back to him and bring it back to New York.   
Well, now he was plotting to grab another one to fulfill his needs.

Humming with a nod, keeping their usual distance apart while out in public, the two men began to walk the short distance towards the streetcar stop. All in all, Alastor was in quite a good mood- with the exception of Mr. Cormier's death, although it wasn't his passing that Alastor was upset about. It was the method.

Their travel to the French Quarter was as it always had been, respectably distanced and more or less silent.  
Anthony made sure to be as quick as he could in cleaning himself up as Alastor waited down in the lobby.

There were no calls to return this time, thankfully, therefore there were no delays as Anthony made his way back down and they made their way to Rosie's; wearing clean and fresh clothes, including a shirt that actually fit him.

When Anthony returned from his hotel room, all freshened up and in new clothes, Alastor looked to his pocket watch. They were early by around twenty minutes or so, but he was sure that Rosie wouldn't mind too much. So long as they weren't late, then she never really minded.   
"Why, you're looking brighter already Anthony."   
Alastor piped up, giving his lover a once over as they set out towards Rosie's home.

Anthony smiled a bit and nodded.  
"Feelin' brighter already."  
He replied.  
He knew he would need to get a new lighter, but he would do that after. If Alastor was to light every cigarette for him, people would catch on that it probably wasn't meant just as a friendly gesture.

Shaking his head with a chuckle, Alastor reached into his pocket and passed the box of matches over to the blonde, just knowing what he was thinking.   
"I won't light it for you this time."   
He laughed, the two of them turning a corner, Rosie's home just up ahead.

Anthony took the box and gave a nod before pulling another cigarette for himself.  
After lighting it, he gave the box back with a small 'thank you' and sighed. Oh, the perfect world he wished they lived in.

It didn't take them long to reach Rosie's house, a man leaving through the front door as soon as the house came into view.  
Anthony raised a brow and glanced at Alastor to see if he knew who the man was.

Alastor's eyes narrowed as he watched someone leave Rosie's home. She hadn't mentioned having guests over that morning, so it only left Alastor wondering who it was. As they got closer, Alastor could just about make out the man's face.   
"Hm."   
He hummed, nodding in the man's direction as they passed on the street before walking up to Rosie's door that had just closed, knocking.

The man nodded as well, Anthony noticing him carrying a bag similar to the one Amélie had, but a little bigger.

Rosie barely had time to move away from the door when she heard the knock. She wasn't expecting anyone for at least another ten minutes, so she wasn't paying attention and caught off guard; very strange for her.  
She opened the door and smiled.  
"Ah! You're early! Please, come in."  
She nodded, letting the two men in.

Alastor's eyes narrowed all the more, his smile growing as they were let into the house.   
"You don't mind us being early when you asked for us to be here for ten?"   
He asked, closing the door behind them and looking to Rosie, brow raising and arms folding across his chest. Whether she would answer this next question truthfully or not, Alastor wasn't sure.   
"Was Doctor Valleau here for you? I know Madeline isn't here anymore, so the doctor can't have been for her."

"It was only a little checkup, nothing to concern yourself with, Alastor."  
Rosie replied as she brought them into the lounge, clearing her throat a bit.

Anthony took a seat as Rosie did, crossing a leg over the other and leaned back a bit.  
He didn't necessarily have a say in anything that was or wasn't going on so decided it best to keep his mouth shut.

"Now, you left me on the edge of my seat this morning when you called. What was it you needed to speak with us about? Nothing bad, I hope."  
The woman continued, adjusting her skirt a bit.

Alastor slowly nodded at Rosie's answer, supposing that made sense. Perhaps he was being overly suspicious for no reason.  
Following Rosie and Anthony into the lounge, Alastor took a seat beside the Italian, deciding where to start. He supposed he would state the obvious news first of all.

"Mr. Cormier died this morning."   
Alastor began, focusing on Rosie's expression, even if it was more or less unreadable.   
"However, the cause of death is what has been irking me. I don't know whether it was my shadowed friend here, the man's old age, or what I have been putting the man through continuously for the past weeks."

Rosie listened attentively, as did Anthony, both intrigued for different reasons though.

Anthony ran his fingers through his blonde locks and leaned forward with his eyes firmly on his lover.  
"A shadow ain't able t' really touch anyone, is it?"  
He asked, not entirely sure how it would have been able to do anything if it couldn't have even touched the man.

"It really depends, Anthony. Alastor still isn't sure exactly _what_ it is, and depending on that, it could be able to cause quite a bit of harm."  
Rosie explained, taking a breath. She looked to the corner for a moment and then back to Alastor again.

Alastor shook his head at Anthony's question.   
"I know it is able to move physical objects. Therefore I can only assume that it is able to touch anything and anyone."   
He replied with a sigh, looking back across at Rosie now.

"While old age and your efforts are likely suspects, what makes you think your friend was responsible?"  
She questioned.

"It woke me up this morning, and it startled me. In a dream I had, I have every reason to believe that I was seeing somehow through the entity's eyes. It started in the street just across from my house and then moved into Mr. Cormier's home. Before I knew it, I was stood over the man, a cold chill washing over me- much like the one I feel whenever it makes its presence known. From there I woke up and ran across the street, but Mr. Cormier was already dead, and in the reflection of a mirror, my suspicions of the entity were confirmed."

Rosie nodded along slowly as she pictured the scene in her own mind. She had never been inside the dead man's house before but that was the least of her problems.

"And where were you through all this?"  
She then asked Anthony, who leaned back into the couch and put his arms up over the back.

"In bed, dead asleep with him. He woke up with a hell of a start and ran across the street in his pajamas and no shoes, leavin' me on the floor in the bedroom."  
Anthony replied calmly, keeping it right to the point. He didn't intend to make that little joke about death; it just kind of slipped out.

Rosie nodded a bit and pursed her lips together. This was a difficult puzzle.  
"In the dream, was Mr. Cormier still breathing? Did his eyes open? Anything?"

Alastor shrugged slightly.   
"It was hard to tell since the room was dark, but I had a feeling he had passed."   
Looking over to Anthony, he smiled.   
"I must say, I started Anthony quite badly, practically throwing him out of bed. And despite that, he still decided to follow me."

Anthony replied with a small smile and a wink as a silent mix of 'I love you' and 'you're welcome'.

Rosie supposed it made sense, not focusing on the bond between the two men across from her. She wanted to solve this puzzle desperately but unfortunately, nothing was clear enough for her to figure it out.  
"I hate to admit it, but I'm at a loss. Maybe your friend was simply there at the right place at the right time. I'm not sure why you were able to see what it was seeing though."  
She finally sighed.

It was rare that Rosie was at a loss for answers, but this truly was quite puzzling. Especially until a cause of death was determined at the morgue.   
"I can't imagine that the entity goes around simply being in the right place at the right time. Its mischievous streak is too much, it's too coincidental; but even if it did kill the man, there is nothing I can do. It doesn't change anything. And if I was the one to kill Mr. Cormier? Then I am, quite frankly, pleased. Naturally."

Rosie hated being in the dark about things and she knew Alastor did too.   
"Well, I suppose you could still claim this death as your own. Your friend seems to be a part of you, after all. It is technically yours, therefore, your responsibility."  
She said, merely thinking out loud. She knew how much Alastor liked claiming his kills as his own, so hopefully, that would help him close the gaps and continue on with a sound mind. It seemed to work for her to some extent.

Alastor shook his head at that, sighing as he leaned back in his chair.   
"As much as I would love to, Rosie darling, I have to be sure. When Mama finds out about Mr. Cormier's cause of death, then I will know for sure and be able to claim it as a win or a loss."   
He knew Rosie didn't question his choice of victim, but as far as Anthony knew, Alastor most probably had a reason for killing the man.

Now it was Rosie's turn to shake her head.  
"I don't think you'll ever know, dear. Because he was so old and frail, they're going to deem that the cause of death. They don't put any effort into the elderly because they assume that they died due to natural causes."  
She said.  
"Even if they did look further into it, I highly doubt they'll be able to find any traces of your hemlock due to how little you used over the course of weeks, or whatever your friend did. I'm afraid no one will ever know and I'm going to label that as a good thing."

While those two were theorizing, Anthony couldn't help but come up with his own.

Alastor knew Rosie was right, and it annoyed him, of course, to know that Mr. Cormier's death would be labeled as old age.   
"They won't find traces of the hemlock, don't worry."   
He nodded, knowing that it wouldn't have stayed in the old man's system for too long.   
"Perhaps it is a good thing then. But you know me, Rosie, I'm still not happy with the result."

The blonde looked to Alastor as they made their conclusion and put a hand on his lover's back, almost as if trying to comfort him despite Alastor not exactly needing comfort.

Alastor looked over to Anthony with a raised brow, yet he appreciated the hand to his back regardless. Shuffling back closer to Anthony's hand, he smiled.  
"What do you think of the matter, mon amour?"

Anthony smiled a bit and shrugged his shoulders.  
"I mean, he was old, right? I never even saw the guy so, what if... and this is a _huge_ 'if'... he happened t' wake up and see the damn thing loomin' over him like some kinda demon? I get a little jumpy I see it in broad daylight, so I can imagine it'd scare the poor guy t' literal death."  
He then looked between Alastor and Rosie once he finished up. Seeing the amused and almost sorry look on the woman's face just made him feel kind of stupid and out of the loop with the whole thing.

"That's... just the first thing that came t' mind. I don't actually know what t' think of any of it..."  
He added, hoping that it would make him seem less dumb.

"I suppose it would make sense, Anthony."  
Rosie nodded, her amused expression still very much on her face. Her conclusion of the Italian? Purely adorable with how his thought process worked. She seemed to forget that he was an outsider to all of this; not to mention that she forgot that any 'normal' person would have perhaps been quite frightened by such a simple thing.

Alastor listened to his lover's theory, not disregarding any of it despite Rosie's very clear and amused smirk.   
"Yes, that's a very good theory, Anthony dear."   
He nodded, agreeing that it actually was a plausible possibility that the man could have quite literally have been scared to death.

Anthony gave a sheepish smile and a small nod, still feeling a little less than smart.

"Whatever the case, I'm sure we'll never truly know what happened. Unless, of course, you manage to sit down and talk to it."  
Rosie continued.  
"It's here by your hand, so naturally it owes you at least that much. Think of it as a partnership. A deal, of sorts. You brought it here and finally laid some probably extremely vague rules after near two years. The least it can do is answer questions you have for it."  
Rosie was hinting towards some other things Alastor had yet to find out about it but kept it vague so he could eventually figure it out on his own. She wasn't about to just give him the answers to all of his problems. There would be no learning in that.

Alastor nodded at that, looking to the ground and humming in thought. Rosie did have a point. Since Alastor had been the one to summon it, surely there would be a way to communicate with it and have it willingly respond.   
"It's spoken to me before, but only a small handful of times."   
He spoke up, looking up towards the woman now.   
"And... I have contacted it before. Albeit it was exhausting."

"If you're thinkin' about stabbin' yourself again, make sure I'm with ya. I don't want ya bleedin' out or nothin'."  
Anthony quickly butted in. He knew he was fine the first time and appeared as if it never happened at all, but just in case something was to go wrong.

Rosie did think it was rather sweet that Anthony was so adamant when it came to Alastor's safety, however, she raised a brow.  
"So it _has_ spoken to you. You never mentioned that."

Alastor shrugged a little at Rosie's words, silently thanking Anthony with a small nod.   
"Yes, on a few occasions. The first being on the day that I first noticed it. It's usually only one or two words at most, however, I suppose it's something."   
He replied, open to any questions that Rosie had.

"All you would really need to ask are simple yes or no questions in order for the truth to be revealed. Of course, be specific with what you're asking."  
The woman replied.

Alastor nodded again, finding that advice to be quite useful. Perhaps he would try it.   
"You're right, however the last time I contacted it, things were... strange to say the least. I worry there will be consequences."

"There are consequences to everything we do, dear. There are going to be consequences whether you do or do not; whether they are good or bad is unknown."  
Rosie nodded slowly, a hand finding its way to her chest as she cleared her throat.

"Then, I know what I must do."   
Alastor replied, looking over at Anthony now, nodding slowly in his direction. Of course, he wouldn't do it here and now, that would be foolish if things were to get out of hand; but at least Anthony would be by his side when he did try to get through to the entity again.

Anthony gave a nod in return paired with a soft smile.

"Oh yes, something I've been meaning to bring up before the two of you leave; I meant to bring it up while I was over yesterday, but had forgotten."  
Rosie spoke up, catching Anthony's attention immediately.  
"Madeline's birthday is on Sunday and I thought I would extend an invitation to her celebration."

Before Alastor had a chance to speak, Anthony did.  
"We'll be there. Name the time and place."

Alastor listened as Rosie spoke, and with his usual smile, he began to shake his head. As entertaining as celebrations sometimes were, Alastor didn't want to be subjected to a celebration where Madeline or any of her friends were involved- which they most probably were this time.   
However, it seemed that his partner had other plans.

" _Are_ we now?"   
Alastor tilted his head towards Anthony, brows raised as the blonde immediately spoke for the both of them, saying they were going to this celebration.

Anthony nodded and smiled a bit.  
"We _are_. I've never been t' a party or anythin' outside of the business, but even those are scarce."  
He explained.

"Thank god. I was worried I would be left to suffer through it alone."  
Rosie sighed, fanning herself dramatically with a roll of her eyes.

"Suffer? Can't be _that_ bad... can it?"  
The blonde raised a brow.

Of course, Alastor wasn't surprised at Anthony's reasoning to want to go to the celebration, and it was fair enough if that was what he wanted.   
"Well, you shall see. And you're _sure_ that's what you would like to spend your last day here doing?"   
The option to decline the invitation was always open, in Alastor's opinion.

"What? No, amore, I go home Tuesday. Nice try."  
Anthony replied with a swat to the man's arm.  
"And who's t' say I'm actually gunna make the train? There's always the chance that I accidentally miss it."  
He added with a bit of a wink. Of course, he thought about it but he wasn't sure if he would follow through with such a ridiculous plan. Then again, if it meant he could have more time with Alastor, he might just risk it.

Alastor rolled his eyes slightly, shaking his head with a small smirk. As much as he would love Anthony to stay longer than planned, he knew that Anthony _did_ unfortunately have to get back to New York, but the possibility was still there and the invitation to let Anthony stay in his home was always open.   
"I'm sure no one would be upset if you missed the train. So long as that doesn't mean anything bad for you when you return home."

Anthony smirked. He could probably get away with getting home a day late with only a slap on the wrist. It would be something he would have to think about.

"It's settled then. Arrive here for three in the afternoon on Sunday."  
Rosie nodded with a grin.

Looking back over at Rosie now, Alastor nodded again.   
"We'll be here then. Do we need to bring anything for the event?"   
He asked with another tilt of his head.

"Actually, if Anthony wants to, he can bring some of his art supplies if he has them. Perhaps he could make something for Madeline. If not, I'll make a request."  
The woman nodded, knowing that both Anthony and Madeline shared an interest in the arts. It would be a good opportunity for herself and Alastor to get away from the commotion.

This caught Anthony's attention pretty quick.  
"I'd be happy t' work with ya. Sunday I could work with Madeline and maybe after the celebration, dependin' on how my hand is, I could work with you. If not Sunday, we could come back Monday."  
The blonde shrugged, looking to Alastor for his opinion.

Alastor did smile at that a little, seeing how the prospect of working on some form of art made Anthony smile, dimples displayed.  
"Whatever you'd like, mon amour."   
He nodded.   
"We have until Tuesday after all, if not longer."

It was then that Anthony had the realization that it had already been a week and only had a week remaining, assuming he was going home on time.   
This trip was going by so fast and he really didn't like that.  
He took his lover's hand as his expression softened, leaning in to rest his forehead against Alastor's shoulder.

"I look forward to seeing the two of you on Sunday then. I'm sure Madeline will be pleased to finally meet you, Anthony."  
Rosie said, her hand moving up to her chest again for a moment.

Gently squeezing Anthony's hand back, Alastor smiled across at him as he leaned his head on his shoulder.   
"Yes, Sunday it is. It's been quite a while since I last saw Madeline, is she settling in well with the married life?"   
Alastor raised a brow, attention back to the woman, and the hand that she had to her chest.

"She's managing just fine I believe. I suppose we'll find out on Sunday."  
The woman replied, clearing her throat again.  
"I only recently spoke with her over the telephone to arrange her birthday, but other than that, I've simply been enjoying the silence."

Anthony kept his forehead on his lover's shoulder, simply enjoying his scent and paying hardly any attention to the conversation.

"Hm, yes I don't blame you. Silence truly is a wonderful thing."   
Alastor nodded, certainly not minding at all the forehead that was rested upon his shoulder. It was nice really.   
"Tell me, Rosie, how have _you_ been lately then, hm? You say Madeline is fine, but what about yourself?"

"Me? Why I've never been better. Simply enjoying the peace of my own home and such."  
She spoke, folding her hands neatly in her lap again.   
"And how have the two of you been? Keeping out of trouble, I would hope."

Accepting Rosie's answer, he had no other reason not to, Alastor nodded.   
"Yes, the two of us have been alright. Simply enjoying each other's company more than anything I believe."   
He smiled, looking over at Anthony who was still leaned against his shoulder.   
"Since you last saw us yesterday, we haven't done too much I don't think."

Anthony moved his head so he was resting his chin on his lover's shoulder now with a soft smile.  
"Actually, we went out after ya left and saw some pretty neat things."  
He said, Rosie now looking to him.  
"Went and saw a circus get set up and met some people there."

"That's quite exciting!"  
Rosie chuckled, turning her head to the side for a moment with the tips of her fingers over her lips, then stood from her seat.  
"Excuse me for a moment."  
She said softly as she excused herself to another room.

Alastor nodded along to what Anthony was saying, letting him talk about what he seemed to be excited about. That was until Rosie left the room.   
With a sigh, now that Rosie was out of sight, Alastor leaned his head back against Anthony's, eyes closing briefly.   
"Love you."

Anthony smiled a little wider and pressed a kiss to Alastor's cheek.  
"Love you more."  
He hummed and put his chin back on his shoulder.  
Not a moment later, faint coughing was heard from where Rosie had retreated to that caught their attention.

Alastor was about to say something, however, paused as he heard Rosie coughing faintly from the next room over. Sitting up on the couch, eyes opening, Alastor looked towards the door.   
"Rosie darling, is all okay?"   
He called out loud enough so that she would hear him no doubt.

"Yes, dear-"  
Rosie coughed out, heaving one more huff out before she fell calm again. Another moment or two and the woman came back and sat down again.  
"Just a tickle."  
She said with a dismissive shake of her head. She never had the strongest of lungs and fell ill rather easily due to that fact, so coughing fits were quite common.

Standing from the couch now, reluctantly letting Anthony go; who got the hint and sat up properly while watching him, Alastor looked back to Rosie.   
"I shall fetch you some water."   
He nodded, moving towards the door now, lips pursing as a familiar chill washed over him, his shadow following him now out of the room, glancing back at Rosie.

She seemed to be tired and unable to find the energy to argue or tell Alastor to sit back down.  
After a moment, Rosie looked across at the blonde with a small smile.

"How are you doing today? Any pain?"  
She asked, diverting the attention from herself.

"I'm doin' alright. Not much pain... why?"  
Anthony was now skeptical as to why Rosie would ask something like that. Was he sitting awkwardly? Did he look to be in pain? Maybe she meant his hand? Whatever the reason, he surely wasn't doing anything on purpose or felt that he was doing it at all.

"Just curious. Nothing more."  
The woman smiled.

Alastor wasn't long in getting Rosie a glass of water, however, he did overhear the woman's question towards Anthony.   
"And why would he be in any sort of pain?"   
Alastor butted in, striding into the room and passing over the glass of water to the woman before taking a seat back beside his lover again.

Rosie simply shook her head and accepted the glass.  
"I'm only curious and a little bit nosy."  
She said as she took a small sip.  
"Nosy Rosie. That was my nickname as a child."  
She added as she observed the way Anthony practically clung to Alastor when he sat back down, not wasting a second in returning to the position they were in before the small disruption.

Shuffling a little closer to his love, Alastor sat back on the chair, bringing an arm around the back of the seat to rest around Anthony.   
"Hm, yes well it's awfully fitting."   
Alastor chuckled with a grin, watching the way that Rosie quietly observed Anthony, even if she did it subconsciously.

Rosie chuckled again.  
"I suppose the two of you have plans for today, so you are free to go if you'd like."  
She said, taking one more sip of water before putting her glass down on the round table beside her.

Anthony looked to Alastor with a raised brow. They only had plans to rest and he didn't mind if they stayed or left.

Alastor looked back to Anthony with a small shrug. He did want to try out Rosie's suggestion of contacting the entity at some point, however, it didn't have to be done immediately. He did want Anthony to rest too, especially after yesterday. 

"Well, we don't actually have any plans set in stone for today."   
Alastor nodded.   
"I think the two of us just planned to rest, especially after such a long day out yesterday."   
Near enough the truth.

Anthony shrugged as they concluded they would stay for the rest of the day. Anthony didn't mind, of course. Rosie was good company and he appreciated that they were safe around her.

They spent the day chatting and telling embarrassing stories about their childhoods much as they had during their last visit, Rosie laughing so hard at times that another coughing fit would strike, Alastor unamused with the stories told about him but enjoying seeing Anthony smile and hearing his laugh nonetheless.

Near dinner time, the two men decided it was time to head back home, thanking Rosie for lunch and the delightful day they all shared.   
They got back to Alastor's house, made something small for dinner, and turned in early to sleep. Alastor's mother seemed to be out still by that time, nothing Alastor was concerned about though. He knew she had a new mother to help, along with new midwives to teach. 

Thus, it was just the two of them that night, sleeping peacefully and undisturbed in the comfortable embrace of each other's arms, safe from the judgment of the outside world.


	51. Chapter 51

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Hi everyone! Just wanted to let you all know that we will be slowing our updates for the month of December to only every Saturday only because schedules are going to be kind of crazy. Our Patreon will still be very much open and updates will still be posted there as we edit. The schedule of twice a week should be back in effect come January.  
> Thank you all so much for reading!!~

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Thursday, August 9th, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

It was a good thing that Anthony and Alastor had gone to sleep early that night, what with their busy schedule for the next day.   
Alastor was early to rise once again. That morning they had plans to pick up the dresses Anthony had ordered for his sister, so it was probably best that they got up.

With a groan, Alastor opened his tired eyes, body still groggy with sleep. As usual, Anthony was laid against his chest, face buried into him, still sound asleep.

It was bad that Anthony was sleeping in so much. This weird sleep schedule might end up following him back to New York which would be a recipe for disaster in itself.   
Then again, Anthony was only sleeping like this because he had Alastor with him. As soon as he would have to go a night without his lover, he would probably have a lot of restless nights to follow.

As he heard Alastor groan, Anthony slowly started to come to; registering the chest that he was nestled into and feeling the warmth from it.  
He gave a small hum of his own, pressing his cheek against his lover a little more.

Alastor simply wrapped his arms around the blonde tighter, letting his face rest upon the top of Anthony's head, eyes closing again. He was quite comfortable as it was.   
"Bonjour mon amour, comment vas-tu?"   
[Good morning, my love, how are you?]  
He spoke tiredly, ending the muffled sentence with a kiss to the top of Anthony's head.

Anthony slowly and deeply inhaled as he was pulled further into the waking world by his lover's beautiful morning voice.  
"Buon giorno, cuore mio..."  
[Good morning, my heart...]  
He sighed, finishing it with a kiss to Alastor's chest. He knew he was asked a question but he didn't know what it was, so he stuck with his greeting.

There was a short moment of silence, Alastor still waking himself up properly, yet he felt the kiss to his chest regardless, smiling against Anthony's head of soft hair.   
"Tired?"  
Alastor asked now, reaching for the covers and pulling them up over them a little more, almost covering Anthony.

The blonde slowly nodded, a smile coming up to his lips as he was buried further into his ultimate comfort.   
"Time?"  
He asked softly, eyes slowly peeling open but then closed again, still too heavy to be kept open.

Opening his eyes enough to see, Alastor squinted towards the clock on his wall, reading it and sighing in response.  
"Nine."   
He replied tiredly, rounding the time up since it was nearly nine. They certainly had slept a while, and given the time, Amélie had most likely already gone off to work.

"'Kay..."  
Anthony replied with a small nod and let himself relax again. They still had time before they had to go and pick up the dresses and he wasn't sure when the carnival and circus would open up, but he could assume that nine was too early for it.

"We still have a while, my dear."   
Alastor yawned softly, doing as Anthony did, the brunette relaxing a little more. From the sun that peeked in through the curtains, it looked to be a bright day outside. The circus performance wouldn't be until the late afternoon, and the carnival was always better at night, a fireworks display showing then too.   
"Sleep well?"

Anthony nodded once more and made an effort to open his eyes again, slowly blinking to help his vision focus.  
Taking another breath, he brought his gaze up to the man he was so comfortably close to with tired, puffy eyes and a smile.  
"How 'bout you?"  
He then asked, clearing his throat in hopes it wouldn't sound so raspy the next time he used his voice.

Huffing a small laugh, Alastor nodded with his own smile wide on his face like usual.   
"Couldn't have been better, my love."   
He responded slowly, leaning his face down to press another sweet kiss to Anthony's head.

Anthony closed his eyes and smiled a little more, loving the morning affection. His arms moved up to snake around his lover's neck as he pulled himself up a bit more to pepper kisses to Alastor's neck and jawline with a small hum for each kiss.

Alastor was just smiling at every sweet kiss of affection he was given, enjoying the peppering of kisses to both his neck and jaw. After a few moments, he leaned down again, this time reaching to place a small kiss to Anthony's lips.   
"Beautiful."   
He whispered.

"I know you are."  
The blonde replied as he put his head back down in the crook of Alastor's neck.  
It was these sweet mornings that Anthony was going to miss the most.

Quietly chuckling again at the clever response, Alastor just shook his head.   
"You know, I'll quite miss this."   
The brunette spoke up as if he had just been reading his lover's thoughts.   
"Waking up beside you truly is something else, my dear."

Anthony raised a brow and lifted his head again, shifting to lay directly on top of the man with a leg on either side of his hips.  
"I don't think I've ever slept so well. Ya make for a real good pillow and so warm too."  
He sighed, placing a few more kisses to Alastor's cheeks.

Alastor was able to wrap both arms around him now, holding him close.   
"And you make for a really good boyfriend."   
He began, a smirk creeping up his lips as he leaned forwards to whisper into Anthony's ear.   
"But would make an even better husband."

Anthony felt the breath stop in his lungs, his body becoming completely stiff and his cheeks heating up; Alastor's smirk turning into a wide grin at the bright shade of red.  
It took the blonde a moment to be able to move, grabbing the pillow from under Alastor's head and hit him with it, only causing the man to erupt into laughter with a hand coming up to cover his mouth in attempts to calm himself down.

"Damn it, y' sweet talker! I swear I'm gunna... I-I'm..."  
He huffed, cheeks red and bright as he lowered the pillow again.  
"I'm gunna do somethin' about that..."

"Go on then."   
He chuckled, reaching forwards slowly for the pillow.   
"Do something about it- if you can."

Anthony's eyes began to wander as if the answer was floating around in front of him.  
There wasn't really anything he could do about it, but the challenge Alastor posed just made him want to do something all the more.

"Well... I guess I could beat ya up, but I think I'd rather just kiss ya."  
He shrugged before leaning down again and pressing his lips to Alastor's.

Smile smug again, knowing that Anthony wouldn't really beat him up, Alastor melted into the kiss, tossing the pillow to the side a bit, arms wrapping around his lover's waist again as they kissed.

Anthony cupped his lover's cheeks with both hands and sighed, pulling away after a few moments.  
"Y' know you're an ass though. Gettin' my hopes up like that is just rude."  
He whispered.

Huffing through a chuckle again, Alastor did his best to shrug, Anthony's hands on his cheeks stopping him from smiling too wide.   
"If only it were possible, then I wouldn't have to disappoint."   
He replied just as quietly, still amused by the redness of Anthony's face.

Averting his eyes as his face got brighter, Anthony held his breath and paused.  
"Bugiardo. Non c'hai le palle per sposarmi..."  
[Liar. You don't have the balls to marry me.]  
He muttered before shoving his face into Alastor's neck again to hide his face.

Alastor of course didn't know what Anthony had just said, but he could only presume it would be something that if he could have understood, he would have laughed at.   
"Mignon."   
[Cute.]  
He smiled, hand gently rubbing Anthony's back as he buried his face into the brunette's neck.  
"Don't hide, my love."

"Mi sto nascondendo e non ci puoi far niente."  
[I'm hiding and there's nothing you can do about it.]  
Anthony mumbled into Alastor's neck, holding onto his shirt tightly.

Alastor simply closed his eyes, sighing softly. There were a few beautiful moments more of silence before he spoke up.   
"We should probably start to think about getting up."   
He sighed again, looking up at his love who was still buried into his neck.

Anthony let out a small breath against his lover's skin in a small sigh as he started to calm himself down and reduce the heat coming from his face.   
He didn't know why that flustered him so much.   
What did any of that even mean? Was that Alastor's way of saying he would have actually considered taking that step if it were legal or was he just messing around to see the reaction it would get?  
Was that his unofficial way of offering something?

Thinking about it so much wasn't helping the redness on his face, that much was certain.

Moving so that he could see Anthony's face, Alastor only chuckled all the more, seeing that it was still more or less red.   
"Still thinking about what I said, hm?"   
He laughed, leaning now to laugh into the top of Anthony's head.   
"I meant it, you know. I don't often say things for the sake of it. I usually mean them."

Anthony turned his head away, that definitely not helping the redness and he wanted to hide it as best as he could.  
"Mi farebbe piacere..."  
[It'd bring me joy...]  
He muttered.  
"Ti amo abbastanza per rischiare di capovolgere il mio mondo."  
[I love you enough to risk flipping my whole world for you.]  
He added.

"I don't know what that means, Anthony darling."   
Alastor chuckled again, his smile widening more and more.   
"But it certainly sounds sweet. So, I'm going to presume it is."

Anthony shrugged and slowly sat upright, bringing his hands up to push his hair back out of his face, cheeks still red.  
"Se mi chiedessi di restar con te, lo farei in battito."  
[If you told me to stay here with you, I'd do it in a heartbeat.]  
He decided to add, keeping it all in Italian just to keep Alastor in the dark and not tempt him even more than he already was.

"Anyway. Time t' get up I guess."  
He said with a small smile, looking down at his lover.

Sitting up now to face Anthony, pushing himself up onto his elbows, Alastor simply stared at the blonde, head tilted.   
"Stay with me."   
He spoke, tone clearly dead serious.

Anthony stopped once again, staring at Alastor before his cheeks puffed out and he grabbed the pillow, pushing it down onto Alastor's face in more of a playful manner than anything; no intentions of actually hurting the man, of course.  
"Stop it! Y' don't speak Italian!"  
He shouted, becoming a flustered mess once again. Not exactly how he would have expected this morning to start; or _any_ morning for that matter.

A smirk slowly crept up Alastor's face again, the man falling backward with something of a cackle as the pillow was pushed into his face.   
"Yes, I don't speak Italian... but I know who _does_."   
He replied, words muffled.

Anthony huffed and brought the pillow up again.  
"Yeah, it's me."  
He replied before dropping the pillow down on Alastor's face again and clambered off of him; standing from there and stretching. Once again, he opted to wear one of Alastor's shirts to bed and just his shorts.   
As he stretched his arms out over his head, he happened to glance back at Alastor with something of a glare.  
"Smartass."

Smiling like an idiot, Alastor removed the pillow off of his face and looked across to Anthony, giving him a sneaky once over, noticing the way that his shirt hung off of his slender frame.   
"Perhaps, but you quite like that about me, don't you?"

"I like a lotta things about ya."  
Anthony replied, lowering his arms again with a small sigh, shaking his legs out a bit.  
"Ya want me t' list everythin' off? We might be here a while, so answer wisely."  
He added, turning back to face his lover and folded his arms over his chest.

With a groan, Alastor slowly got to his feet, chin raised as he stood tall in front of Anthony, giving him a small shrug.   
"Good thing I have most of the day then."

Anthony still had to crane his neck a bit to look up at the man in front of him, but still stood up straight and puffed his chest out in a subconscious need to seem bigger and scarier than he was; probably failing at it though.  
He cleared his throat and started listing things off on his fingers as he spoke.

"Alright, well, there's your smile, the way your hair curls a little when it gets wet, your smart remarks, your voice, the way ya talk, the way ya say my name, your eyes and the general way ya look at me, your sweet and tender nature that gets flipped around one hundred and eighty degrees in an instant that's actually _kinda_ frightening when it comes down to it, your protective and possessiveness, the way ya kiss me, those sneaky little glances ya give me when we're out in public that ya _know_ I catch 'cause of the smirk ya give me right after..."  
He stopped there, inhaling deeply after that little rant.  
"Want me t' keep goin'?"

Alastor was silent as Anthony spoke, his smirk not leaving his face at all. With every compliment, it seemed to get wider.   
"Why, I'm _flattered_. Mostly because you notice those things to be completely honest, my dear." He smiled, his words genuine, something close to a blush rising to his face, centered around his cheeks.   
"I would ask you to go on, but surely you'll want to hear what _I_ like about _you_?"

The blonde nodded and fixed the loose shirt that hung off of his body.  
"Go on then, tell me."  
He said, looking up at the man with deep interest, curious to hear his list.

Taking a small step forwards, Alastor reached out to tuck a piece of Anthony's blonde hair out of his line of sight, resting that hand gently upon his lover's cheek.   
"Everything."   
He spoke quite simply, however, he seemed to be in a trance as he gazed at his lover, staring deeply into his sparkling green eyes.

Anthony watched Alastor's every move, noticing how careful each movement was. He leaned into the hand that held his cheek and returned the gaze into his lover's eyes, examining them closely as he softened.   
He could definitely hear the sincerity in Alastor's voice, even in that single word.

"There's gotta be at least _one_ thing ya don't like about me."  
He said as he brought his own hand up to cup Alastor's cheek in return.

Alastor really didn't know what else he could say, so he gave the blonde another simple answer- a shake of his head.   
"Not at all. I find you to be exquisitely perfect, Anthony. Everything you say, everything you do, everything that you _are_ , is perfect in my eyes."

Anthony felt his lips curl into a sheepish smile, dimples coming through quite obviously.  
"Grazie, amore..."  
He hummed, his smile turning a little more sincere.  
"Y' dunno how much that means t' me; hearin' ya say that."

Of course, Anthony had his fair share of insecurities much like everyone else, but Alastor always seemed to appreciate those things the most. He hated his dimples and scars for example. He hated them all before he came to New Orleans, but then Alastor came along, took all of those, and made them seem like the most beautiful and normal things on Earth.

Bringing his arms up around the man's neck, Anthony hugged Alastor tightly, having to pull himself up onto the tips of his toes to do so.   
"I love you..."

Leaning himself down slightly, Alastor wrapped his arms around Anthony in turn, hugging him back just as tightly.   
"I love you."   
He repeated, an almost overwhelming feeling of affection towards his lover suddenly washing over him at Anthony's words alone. 

The fact that Alastor of all people could cause some sort of loving emotion in a person- a person as beautiful as Anthony, it was almost too much for Alastor to get his head around at times; but as he'd said a long time ago, Anthony was always there to ground him.

Anthony closed his eyes, loving the closeness they were able to share in this place. He definitely felt safe and never wanted to leave.  
"I wanna run away with you and never look back..."  
He whispered as he started running his fingers through Alastor's hair, taking note of how long it was starting to get once again.

Alastor chuckled at the blonde's words, however, he knew they were serious.   
"Then let's go."   
He whispered back in return, swaying softly with Anthony on the spot, their embrace still lasting.   
"The fools of this world won't miss us. Everyone will forget eventually. I want you to be safe- for _us_ to be safe."

"Where would we go, Al? What about your Ma? What about Rosie? What about Molly?"  
Anthony asked softly. If Alastor could figure out a good place for them to go and a good plan, he would be all for it, but he couldn't just leave Molly behind nor would he expect Alastor to just leave his mother and friend behind. That just wouldn't be fair.

Alastor paused at that, his eyes still closed, however, he slowly let out a long sigh in response. He hadn't even thought about that.   
"We'd think of something."   
Was the response that Alastor finally settled on, that part of the puzzle almost annoying him. He presumed that Rosie would be happy staying here as she was, the two difficult factors were Amélie and Molly.

Anthony's hold tightened a little.  
"When we do, y' know I'll do it at the drop of a hat. I wanna stay with you forever..."  
He replied softly.  
"I love you so much, Alastor. Y' know I'd do anythin' for you."  
He added, simply stating facts.  
"I love you enough to risk flippin' my whole world for you."

If they came up with a plan that was foolproof, he wouldn't hesitate to put it into action. He hated his job and he hated his home life. Molly was the only thing keeping him there and he surely wasn't going to leave her there all alone. They only had each other.

Still swaying gently with Anthony, Alastor softly nodded.   
"I love you more than any words I know can describe."   
If it had just been anyone telling Alastor that they'd do anything for him, especially at the drop of a hat- then he by all means would have taken advantage of that without any hesitation or regret. However, this was Anthony. Everything was different since it was him.   
"Forever does not seem long enough for me, my love."

Anthony slowly started placing kisses to his lover's neck, making sure to embrace this moment as best as he could. They had a big day ahead of them and wouldn't have the privacy while they were out to refuel.  
"I love you."  
He said again, feeling as if he hadn't said it enough. He had nearly two years to catch up on, after all.

Alastor looked over to Anthony's face, smiling at him now.   
"I love you."   
He repeated, loosening their hug a little, his eyes closing briefly as he embraced every small kiss that was pressed to his neck.   
"Come now, Anthony darling, let's get dressed."   
He whispered softly, hand carding through the blonde's hair.

Anthony nodded a bit and kissed his way to Alastor's lips, leaving a slow and lingering kiss there before he eventually pulled away with a small smile.

"Hey."  
He paused, starting to unbutton the shirt that hung off of him.  
"I love you."  
He finished with a smile.

Smiling back at him, Alastor placed his hand over Anthony's that had begun to unbutton the oversized shirt. Taking over for him, Alastor began to unbutton Anthony's shirt, glancing over the other's shoulder briefly at the clock.   
"I love you too, Anthony dearest."

The blonde was mildly confused but lowered his hands anyway, letting his lover help him dress and eventually returning the favor by helping Alastor dress in turn.

Once all dressed and cleaned up, they made their way downstairs, Anthony glancing at Alastor for a moment.  
"So, dresses first and then carnival?"  
He asked as he glanced at the time. It was nearly ten now, so they had time to get to the French Quarter to make the quick pickup, drop everything off at the hotel, and then make their way to the field where all of the events were happening for the afternoon.

Adjusting his tie as he walked down the stairs, footsteps creaking against the wooden floorboards, Alastor nodded at his partner's words.   
"Yes, I think that works nicely. We can come back briefly to put the dresses away, or you can keep them safe in your hotel room. Whatever we have time for."

"I think it'll be easier if we drop the dresses off at the hotel, give me a chance t' change int' somethin' better suited for the weather. Plus we ain't comin' back this way t' get t' the grounds."  
Anthony replied with a shrug. It only made sense to do it that way.

Humming in thought at that, Alastor eventually settled on a nod, clasping his hands together and turning towards the door just as Anthony smoothed his shirt out.   
"Quite right. The hotel it is."   
He grinned, stepping away towards the coat rack and grabbing his hat from the top of it.

"Are we gunna need anythin' b'fore we head out?"  
He asked, bringing his hands up to smooth his lover's shirt a bit.

"I don't believe so, but I _do_ know that you need a lighter. Perhaps when we are by the shops."

Anthony nodded and followed, however, he grabbed Alastor's shoulder and turned him so they were face to face.  
"Last one."  
He said as he placed a slow kiss to his lover's lips. 

Once he pulled away again, he grabbed the doorknob and opened the door.  
"After you, sir."  
The blonde grinned.

The sudden slow kiss immediately had Alastor thinking. As the door was opened, their kiss broken, the brunette slowly turned his head to gaze out, his mind suddenly running a million miles an hour.   
At least until late that evening, Alastor wouldn't be able to hold nor even embrace Anthony. Not to mention, despite his and Anthony's small disagreement on the subject of Ciro- the two of them _would_ be watching him performing in due time.   
Jealousy didn't just disappear overnight, and what Alastor felt about that whole situation, even after talking it out with Anthony, those feelings were still very much there.

So perhaps... just this once, Alastor would throw in something to act as insurance to make sure a similar situation didn't happen again.   
After all, Alastor had a feeling they wouldn't be getting too many more opportunities to do this before Anthony had to leave again. And it wasn't entirely Alastor's selfishness and jealousy that suddenly spurred this on. At least, not with how simply _delectable_ Anthony had looked that morning.

Without warning, Alastor reached over Anthony's shoulder and pushed the door closed in front of them, a small smirk rising to his face as he looked across at his lover, slowly shaking his head.   
" _Not_ yet."

Anthony raised a brow and let the door close, his eyes slowly finding their way up to Alastor. He was confused, to say the least. The smirk seemed like any ordinary smirk, so that didn't raise any suspicion.

"Didja forget somethin'?"  
He asked, turning so his back was to the door. He supposed they still had time for Alastor to go and quickly grab whatever it was he needed or do whatever it was he needed to do.

Eyes flicking down Anthony's frame and back up to his face again, Alastor's smirk only seemed to grow, the type of smirk that it was becoming more and more apparent.   
"I think we have time for one more short detour... don't you?"   
He chuckled, his left arm moving upwards, palm almost slamming against the door to the side of Anthony's head as the brunette leaned forwards.

Anthony felt his heart skip and his body jolt at the sudden move, pressing his back against the door with wide eyes and a small gasp.  
"O-Oh god-"  
He whispered nervously.  
Quite the turn of events if he did say so himself, but he wasn't going to complain when he found himself head over heels for Alastor's aggressive side. 

Finger trailing down Anthony's jawline, Alastor found his lips brushing the other's neck, smile only growing at the response, small gasp included.

"Ya really wanna? I-I mean... we gotta go out and the cleanup might take a while, not t' mention the fact I find it kinda hard t' walk after, y-y' know?"  
He chuckled sheepishly. It was this time that Anthony really felt like Alastor's prey, trapped and unable to escape from his predator. It was a thrilling feeling, really.

It wasn't really a question of whether Alastor wanted to or not- he thought that he'd made that quite clear already.   
"Do _you_ want to?"   
His voice was like silk as he breathed up against his lover's ear, of course, asking Anthony's opinion on the matter. If he didn't want to, then naturally, Alastor would back off with no questions asked.

Anthony knew this too. He knew very well that he could put his foot down and everything would stop immediately.   
He was also thinking about the aftermath that would follow these events, but Alastor was so tempting and just made things harder to say no to. He had no self-control in moments like these. He didn't care if he would be wobbling around like a newborn foal all day, or the fact he wouldn't be able to sit down at all. He'd grab the pills from his hotel room while they were there.


	52. Chapter 52

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~NSFW warning and birthday in the server!~

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Thursday, August 9th, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

While he waited for an answer, Alastor began softly kissing against Anthony's ear, nibbling lightly on his earlobe before kissing down his jaw.

With a shuddering breath, Anthony closed his eyes and nodded as he embraced the hot breath against his skin. He wanted this to happen so badly.  
"Yes, sir."  
He breathed out.

Alastor couldn't help the shiver that wrecked his body in regards to the words Anthony spoke and the _tone_.  
Without a second's more hesitation, Alastor had his lips on Anthony's, his hand still trapping the blonde against the door as they passionately began to make out, Alastor's breathing quickly becoming heavy.

Anthony was about to push himself forward and into Alastor but was immediately pushed back when he felt aggressive lips against his own; earning a grunt as the blonde was pushed further into the door.  
He didn't bother fighting back though. Alastor seemed to know exactly what to do to get him to submit at the snap of his fingers.

Anthony did manage to return the kiss though, his lips syncing with his lover's movements and embracing the tongue that demanded to be let in. He did feel like Alastor needed to earn his full and undivided submission considering how easy he had been getting it since he had arrived.  
That being said, he gently bit down and sucked on Alastor's tongue with a small smirk, eyes opening slightly in hopes to see the reaction.

Alastor gave the smallest of groans back in response, pushing Anthony further into the door.  
With his free hand, he wasn't wasting a second as he snuck it around the blonde's body, grabbing his ass with a breathless chuckle.  
"You're _mine_ , my darling."  
He dared to speak after his lover let go, voice low and sultry.

Anthony found himself jumping a little with a small huff, biting his lip with a small smirk.  
"Am I?"  
He purred in return, pushing himself back into Alastor's hand.  
This was going to be fun. He could already tell. Nothing seemed more fun than taunting and making Alastor work for full cooperation and submission.

"Yes... you... _are_."  
Alastor almost growled in response, his hand moving around from Anthony's ass to his groin, eyebrow raising with his smirk as he palmed the blonde through his pants, lips carefully attacking Anthony's neck. He would be careful to not make any visible marks of course, especially after what happened the last time.

Anthony could feel himself growing weaker by the second, Alastor's growling only making things harder for him to keep himself together; the sudden touches to his growing arousal sure as hell didn't help either.

"Yes... I... _am~_ "  
He breathed out with a soft moan, unable to hold himself strong much longer. He did appreciate that Alastor was keeping the skin that was visible clean, but he did feel like the gentleness there was making the whole experience lack as a whole. You couldn't have the growling and such without the biting. That would have just brought everything together.

At Anthony's final answer, Alastor chuckled darkly, nimble fingers finding the straps of the blonde's suspenders, pulling them down.  
"Good."  
He purred, lips kissing gently down Anthony's neck, pushing his shirt to the side so he could reach his shoulder. Without hesitation, Alastor finally bit down harshly on his lover's skin where he knew it would be covered by his shirt.

Naturally, the blonde couldn't help the whine that escaped him, legs shaking and weak already just from that. It was absolute _bliss_ , being bitten and growled at, like prey being played with by its predator in a sick and sadistic way; only playing with him before he met his fate.

"Yes~"  
He whimpered, eyes closing, and as he pushed himself into his lover as a way of physically _begging_ for more.

Alastor, at that moment, as he continued to bite marks aggressively into Anthony's shoulder, truly did feel like a predator ripping apart its prey.  
Not being one to wait in this state of mind, Alastor began to unbuckle his belt with his free hand, whispering sadistic promises into Anthony's ear as he did so, kissing up away from his shoulder.

Anthony's legs quivered all the more at the whispered promises, closing his eyes tightly with another small whimper as he heard the belt start to unbuckle. It was a familiar sound to him but in this environment, he wasn't afraid; in fact, he only got more excited from it.

Alastor's other hand trailed sensually up Anthony's chest, slowly up his jaw and to his mouth, the brunette looking down at Anthony with smug written all over his face.  
"We don't want to cause too much pain now, do we? Despite how much I know you enjoy it."

The tone of voice Alastor was using was beautiful and sly; even enough to make Anthony cum on the spot. He wanted to speak but the hand to his lips told him otherwise, only leaving him with his eyes to beg with.

With one hand still to Anthony's lips, the other hand that had been unbuckling his belt moved to the front of Anthony's pants again, skillfully unbuttoning the front of them.  
From there, with the hand up against Anthony's lips, Alastor began to press a finger to the blonde's lips.  
"Open wide for me, darling."

Feeling his breath picking up in pace, it didn't take much for the Italian to obey and open his mouth as wide as he could for his lover. He really didn't even have to ask. The blonde could feel the request with Alastor's actions that he wanted his mouth open. His eyes glistened with desire and need as he watched Alastor's expressions; that _grin_ , as he worked on both of their pants.

With Anthony's mouth open, Alastor slowly slipped two digits in with a wink. Now that both of their pants were down, Alastor returned his free hand to Anthony's crotch, eyes closing as he palmed him once again, lips attaching themselves to the blonde's lower neck.

Anthony closed his eyes again, wrapping his lips around Alastor's fingers gently with yet another small moan as he was played with again through fewer layers, slipping one leg out of his pants that were now down on the floor; leaving them like that now considering it would be more than enough for Alastor to get through no matter the position they happened to decide on.  
He didn't feel like Alastor had earned his dominance just yet though, smirking as he started to gently bite down on his lover's fingers and push his hips forward into his other hand.

The man opened his eyes just to see the smug smirk Anthony was suddenly wearing upon his face. Raising a brow, Alastor shook his head, supposing he would have to take things just that bit further.  
"Don't-"  
He warned in a whisper as he felt Anthony gently biting down upon his fingers. His other hand then boldly slipped into Anthony's underwear, grasping his cock and squeezing harshly as another sort of warning.

That wiped the smirk right off of Anthony's face and caused his eyes to roll back and close with a moan, however, he didn't exactly release his bite. He only stopped adding more pressure.  
His hips jolted forward into his lover's hand, cock already firm and leaking a little.

Alastor's smile was so wide now, his lips returning to Anthony's shoulder, licking over the bites he'd just created.  
"You'll regret it if you don't lick them~"  
He teased, fingers moving around in his lover's mouth, his other hand very slowly stroking Anthony, feeling him leaking slightly into his hand.

The inner corners of the blonde's brows turned upwards with a whimper escaping his throat as he felt Alastor's fingers demanding attention. Without a second thought and fingers still in his mouth, he opened his lips again and spoke.  
"Wha' 'abbens i' I don'?~"  
He managed to get out, refusing to do anything further until he knew that Alastor truly meant business and wasn't just bluffing.

Alastor thought it was more common sense than anything, however, common sense was most likely not even on the table presently.  
"You wouldn't want me going in dry now, would you?~"  
He responded smugly, the hand that was around Anthony's cock suddenly stopping its movements, shaking its way around to his ass, feeling out for his entrance.

It was hardly even a second before Anthony realized what Alastor meant, and he had to admit that was good enough motivation. Oil didn't seem to be something incorporated into this plan.  
Wrapping his lips around Alastor's fingers again, he got to work in making sure there would be plenty of saliva coating his digits for him to use; some even dripping down his chin.  
He managed to let out another moan as he swirled his tongue around his lover's fingers and felt his ass be toyed with.

Alastor watched with nothing but want as Anthony sucked and licked at his fingers, the brunette slipping in a third at some point too.  
Using the hand at Anthony's ass, Alastor moved his fingers back up to simply grab and dig his nails into the flesh of Anthony's rear cheeks, eyes closing again, a low groan escaping his lips now.

Anthony let out another moan at the nails in his flesh, muttering a curse in Italian in addition. He couldn't be too loud with the fingers in his mouth, which was probably a good thing considering their location. If anyone was to stand on the other side of that door, they would surely hear something disturbing; something Alastor knew very well, too. While it was incredibly risky, it was also quite thrilling.  
His hips rolled and moved, huffing lightly as his cock twitched in hopes of gaining more attention and friction like it had a few moments prior while he finally moved his hands up from against the door behind him to start unbuttoning his own shirt.

Fingers still digging into Anthony's flesh, his other digits still in the blonde's mouth, Alastor suddenly pushed his body forwards against Anthony, a small moan escaping his lips as he felt their erections rubbing together through their underwear.

With Alastor's weight now against him and pushing him back against the door, Anthony once again moaned as he felt that desired pressure and friction.  
With a quick exhale and small whimper, the blonde started to grind himself up against Alastor as he continued soaking his fingers; more saliva starting to run down his chin.

Eyes closing tighter with a shiver, Alastor let his hips move and grind rhythmically up against Anthony for a few moments more as he started to pull the other's underwear down, fingers slowly leaving Anthony's saliva filled mouth.  
He didn't waste a second in bringing his slick fingers down to the blonde's hole, middle finger seeking out the entrance and pushing in ever so slightly.

As soon as the fingers left his mouth, Anthony's tongue followed as if hoping to coax them back in. He bit down a little once he felt the fingers moving against him and then prodding.  
With his shirt now undone and open, his hands found their way up and into his lover's hair, gently gripping onto the chocolate tresses as he felt his legs quiver. The mix of the nails in his skin, the prodding of his hole, and the grinding of their cocks just edging him on further.

Alastor leaned his head into Anthony's gentle hands as he began to stretch out his lover. The use of saliva perhaps wouldn't be as effective as what oil would have been, but he supposed at the moment it didn't matter too much.  
Moans and the filthy sounds of Alastor managing to pump two fingers into his lover, filled the air as Anthony was stretched, the two of their cocks still grinding together only adding to the heat.

Needless to say, that the lack of slipperiness of the oil was a different sensation entirely, but Anthony seemed to be enjoying it nonetheless.  
He let out another small moan as he watched Alastor's facial expressions, seeing the crease in his brow at his eagerness and desire.  
Removing one hand from his hair, Anthony brought it down, pulled Alastor's underwear down, and wrapped it around both of their cocks, pumping his hand slowly to start.

"I want you..."  
The blonde whispered out with a moan, leaning in closer to Alastor's face.

Alastor pressed his forehead up against Anthony's, his face scrunching all the more as Anthony began to stroke their cocks together.  
With three fingers now inside of the blonde, stretching him, Alastor eventually pulled out the digits.  
Panting, his cheeks red as he looked deep into Anthony's eyes, Alastor managed to lift his lover; lifting his legs and having his arms support him from underneath his knees, hands holding him up by his ass.

Anthony gasped as he was lifted, his back just pressing further against the door as his legs were lifted, letting go and pressing his hands against the wood as if that would help him stay up and steady.  
A small smirk found its way to his lips as they kept eye contact, already knowing that this angle was going to hit him in all the right places.

Hoisting Anthony up a little more, Alastor made sure that the other was supported as he slowly reached down for his cock, using the precum to his advantage as he pumped himself a few times, eyes closing in pleasure before he lined himself up with Anthony's entrance. It definitely wasn't as slippery as what it usually was with the oil, so this was certainly going to be different.

Anthony felt his breath become heavier rather quickly, his eyes scanning his lover's expressions. He braced himself while making sure to stay as relaxed as he possibly could so it would hopefully be easier on both of them as he felt Alastor's thick tip against him.  
He made sure to have more spit at the ready just in case they would need it, which, by the looks of it, they would.

"Please, Al~"  
He moaned out softly before biting his lip, wiggling his hips down against the man a bit.

As Anthony wiggled his hips downwards, Alastor felt the tip of his cock pressing against the other's entrance, and _god_ did Anthony's moans just do wonders for him.

Quickly deciding that they would need more lubricant, Alastor brought a hand to Anthony's lips again, looking down into his eyes, kissing the tip of his nose.

Anthony's nose scrunched at the kiss and opened his mouth after gathering more saliva onto the surface of his tongue, welcoming his lover's fingers into his mouth with an added moan.  
He felt that dusting of pink spread across his face once again as they held their deep eye contact.

Alastor kept his fingers inside Anthony's mouth for a few moments more, tilting the others chin upwards with his other hand before removing his fingers and bringing his attention back down to his cock again.  
"Anything for you~"  
He moaned, slicking both his length up and Anthony's entrance again. With yet another moan, began to push in.

A trail of saliva clung to Anthony's lips as his lover removed his fingers.  
This time was a little easier for Alastor to penetrate thanks to the extra moisture, causing Anthony's head to tilt back further as his tight hole welcomed him in, letting out another mewl.

"Ah, A-Al!~"  
He tried to keep himself at least a little quieter but he couldn't help it. Being stretched out like this again felt so good despite the difference in lubrication and the quick and probably near ineffective means of preparation.

It was most definitely a different feeling to be penetrating without the oil, but regardless, it still felt so good. Anthony was just as tight as ever, squeezing Alastor with his hot insides.

"A-Anthony-"  
Alastor moaned softly, his lips crashing against the others in nothing short of passion, his cock slowly burying itself further and further into his lover.

Anthony's jaw clenched tighter and tighter the further Alastor sunk in, his breath lost somewhere in his throat as they kissed. He managed to let out a whine and inhale somewhere between the harsh and aggressively passionate kiss with a gasp shortly after, his tongue quickly finding its way into Alastor's mouth with yet another whimper.  
He wasn't even close to being completely sheathed but Anthony could feel the harsh pressure against his walls just from how he was contorted; Alastor's arms holding him up just under his knees and thighs with his body hunched forward as he was pushed back against the door.

From where Alastor's hands held up Anthony from the ground, his nails began to sink into the flesh there. He knew this would be a good angle for Anthony.  
Alastor could barely even get a moan in, desperate hums and grunts of pleasure escaping him instead as his tongue sought out Anthony's through the kiss, saliva dripping down his chin as his hips continued to move forwards.  
In an attempt to loosen Anthony up a little more, Alastor pulled out slightly before sinking back in again, face scrunching in the pleasure.

Anthony groaned and brought his arms up and forward to wrap around Alastor's neck and tightly grab onto his shirt, nails digging into his back as best as they could through the fabric.  
With his breathing so uneven, he couldn't keep the kiss going for very long, thus pulling away quickly and accidentally smacking the back of his head against the door in his desperation for oxygen.  
Anthony didn't seem to care much though, still gasping and moaning away while biting down on his bottom lip in attempts to keep himself quiet.

Alastor of course heard the bang as Anthony smacked his head against the door, but he seemed to be fine.  
After gaining a bit of his own breath, Alastor's lips found themselves at Anthony's neck, nibbling down and licking at the skin there and under the blonde's jaw.  
A few moments later, after having let Anthony adjust to the size, Alastor began to roll his hips forwards again, his cock only being sucked in deeper by Anthony's ass as he did so.

Even in his hazily pleasured state of mind, Anthony knew he couldn't let Alastor leave marks that would be difficult to hide.  
"A-Al, lower~"  
He moaned out as he tried to shift so Alastor would be able to reach his collarbone and lower. He wanted to keep the marks his lover gave him but he couldn't if they could be seen even if he were to be fully clothed.  
"Please, I- gahh! I-I wanna... keep 'em~"  
He moaned out, wanting to say more but his body was starting to shake with the cock thrusting in and out of his body.

In all honesty, Alastor hadn't even realized that he'd been kissing so high up on Anthony's neck. Nodding slowly at his lover's request, Alastor did as he was asked, moving his kisses and small bites down to the blonde's collarbone and just below. He wanted Anthony to keep the marks just as much, of course.

Anthony thanked him graciously over and over again as he tilted his head back, eyes closing as he let himself melt deeper into the pleasure.

"I love you... oh _god_ , I love you!~"  
He cried out before he brought a hand up to his mouth, hoping that wasn't too loud.

Alastor knew both he and Anthony were close now. Simply indulging himself in the pleasure, he too let his eyes close now, thrusting up into Anthony deeper and deeper every time, no doubt hitting the Italian's prostate again and again with the angle they were stood at.

It was getting harder and harder for Anthony to keep himself together, his whines growing harder to control as well.  
Every time Alastor hit that sweet spot, Anthony's walls constricted and pulsated. He could feel Alastor getting thicker too, which only pushed him to his orgasm faster.

"A-Al, n-not so h-hard, I-"  
He stuttered, unable to finish his sentence due to the overwhelming pleasure as his lover actually slammed directly into his prostate without hesitation.  
With his toes curling and body shaking, Anthony released the knot but bit down on his hand to stop himself from screaming out as he came onto his own stomach.

"N-Not inside-"  
He ground out, panting. He knew Alastor was close too but didn't want him to cum inside. It would take him a long while to get it all out of him just like the last few times he had to clean himself out. It wasn't exactly pleasant either.

Moaning into the crook of Anthony's neck, slowing his thrusts down a little as he felt Anthony cum, Alastor found himself panting harshly.  
Doing as Anthony had asked, feeling himself tilting on the very edge of an orgasm, Alastor quickly pulled out, his head throwing back with a low moan as he stroked himself to orgasm, cumming in his hand and against Anthony's stomach.

Once he felt Alastor removing himself, Anthony removed his hand from between his teeth and left his mouth hanging open as he panted and whimpered, watching his lover cum on him in waves.  
It was erotically pleasing to watch for once, giving him a visual of what happened inside of him the last times they engaged like this. It made him blush, naturally.

Finally, once they had ridden out their orgasms, Anthony closed his eyes and tilted his head back carefully, breath heaving and providing small whimpers as his body started to loosen up and relax again.  
The new form of lubrication clearly hadn't been enough, leaving the blonde feeling quite raw and sensitive, but he liked it strangely enough.

Slowly opening his eyes, breathing having calmed slightly, Alastor looked down at his lover and the pink that dusted his cheeks. He looked completely spent and warn out my all means, but it was a beautiful sight nonetheless. 

"Are... are you okay?"  
Alastor asked after a while, cupping his lover's cheek with his clean hand.

Anthony smiled softly and sighed, still heaving away as he leaned into the careful touch.  
He opened his eyes a little and smiled a little more upon seeing his lover's expression. The tenderness and worry that spread across his features was the sweetest thing.

The blonde replied with a nod, taking a few more breaths before using his voice.  
"Are you?"

Alastor nodded in response, his own voice low and croaky.  
"Yes- I'm fine."  
He replied, smiling, knowing that his love was more or less okay; but more importantly- they had to get going and get cleaned up.  
"We should hurry and change."  
The brunette then spoke, nodding towards the stairs.

Anthony nodded and very carefully started lowering his legs one at a time, making sure his feet were firmly on the floor again before removing himself from against the door. He made sure to cup a hand against his lower abdomen just to make sure there wouldn't be any spillage.

Gulping, he looked up at Alastor and sighed. Not exactly how he expected to start the day or have happen at all, but he wasn't complaining.

Gently helping lower Anthony to the ground, trying to not make any more mess than what had already been made, Alastor and Anthony shuffled their way the short distance to the foot of the stairs. Knowing that he would be changing his clothing anyways, Alastor pulled up his pants again, not bothering with his belt.  
"Do you wish for me to assist you up the stairs?"  
He asked, smiling warmly at his lover.

With his pants only hanging on to one leg, Anthony stopped at the foot of the stairs and looked up to the top.  
"Um..."  
He cleared his throat a bit, still a little breathy and squeaky.  
"Yeah, I think it'd be best if I got some help."  
He replied sheepishly, looking to Alastor now.

Alastor nodded, chuckling slightly as he cleared his throat. Reaching out with both arms for Anthony, he rather quickly scooped the man up and into his hold, holding him close to his chest as he turned towards the stairs.  
"Love you."  
He muttered with a smile, gathering up the other leg of Anthony's pants and taking it with them as they walked up the stairs.

The blonde brought one arm up around his lover's neck, his cheeks heating up a little from being carried.  
"Love you more."  
He replied softly, placing a kiss to Alastor's cheek.


	53. Chapter 53

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Thursday, August 9th, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Once they were back where they started, all cleaned up and proper again, Anthony made sure to take something for his familiar yet different pain and gave Alastor one last peck on the lips before opening the door and stepping out.   
They got their shoes on and made their way to the streetcar stop, making it to the French Quarter not long after.

On their way to the shop to pick Molly's dresses up, Anthony looked up at Alastor with a small smile.  
"After we pick this stuff up and drop it off at the hotel, can we maybe get some beignets?"

Alastor, from where he stood at a respectable distance away from Anthony, could only chuckle, his smile wide.   
"You're really quite fond of them, aren't you? Well, I don't suppose I blame you. Yes, we can pick a few up on our way back from the hotel."   
He nodded, glancing in at the shop window display of a store they passed- as usual, his shadow was following behind him.

Anthony raised a brow and smirked.  
"Hey, that's your own fault. I didn't know 'bout 'em 'til ya gave 'em to me."  
He batted back with a small chuckle. He wasn't complaining, of course. They were delicious and worth every penny.

The blonde went into the shop and gathered everything rather quickly, humming with a grin as he stepped out again with the packages in hand.  
"Alright, gotta get a lighter next b'fore I forget again."

While Anthony was in the shop gathering the dresses, Alastor waited outside and lit a cigarette, presuming that was how he remembered about his own lighter when he exited the store.   
"Ah yes, I do believe there is a small store that sells them quite close by."   
Alastor nodded, looking towards the bag of dresses that Anthony had in his hand.

Anthony smiled and gave a nod, following his lover to the shop he spoke of and got himself a lighter as planned, however, took note that he wanted to return to this shop, in particular, to pick up a few postcards for his sister and for his own memories.

They made their way back to the hotel, Anthony went up to his room, dropped everything off, and fixed himself up a bit.  
He would probably call home either that night or the following day to see if Maria was around to report the events of the circus and to let her know that her dresses were picked up.

Alastor stood quietly down in the lobby of the hotel as he waited for Anthony, not really looking at anything in particular- especially not bringing his gaze towards the employee at the check-in counter. 

Whistling a tune, the Italian made his way back down and met Alastor once again with a bright smile.  
"Good t' go?"

"Yes, _I_ am. What about yourself?"   
He asked, very discreetly giving Anthony a quick once over as he led the way out of the hotel and back onto the streets again.

Anthony patted his pockets, making sure he had his wallet, cigarettes, and lighter, then nodded.  
"All set."  
He replied as he followed the man out.  
"So, beignets then streetcar t' the carnival, right? Nothin' else?"  
He asked to clarify the plan and make sure he knew what to roll with. The unexpected events of that morning seemed to throw him off a little.

Alastor nodded at Anthony's words, beginning to lead them both in the direction of the bakery which luckily happened to be close to a streetcar stop anyways.  
"Yes, I think that plan will do. I don't believe I have any other business to attend to within the city."

Anthony nodded in acknowledgment.  
"Alright, works for me."  
This happened to be the same bakery that they stopped in a few days ago, meaning that when they went in, Alastor had to order because the woman didn't speak much English; once again receiving a few more than what Anthony had asked for, leading him to wonder if Alastor was maybe putting in that request for those few extra.   
He was paying for them after all, so Anthony didn't know what the total even was so he couldn't do the math himself to figure it out. Of course, the golden pillows were delicious so Anthony had no complaints whatsoever.

If you happened to ask Alastor though, he would confirm that Anthony's suspicions were accurate.

With that stop complete and the streetcar venture out of the way, they found themselves on the other side of the city. It had been rather quiet those few days ago but now, with the festivities, it seemed to be buzzing.

When they arrived out of the city and stepped out, Alastor looked around them with a wide smile. Indeed, there were many more people around than what there had been a few days prior.   
"Well, what are we waiting for! The carnival is just a walk away and Anthony, I have a feeling you're going to find it just swell!"

It was probably good that they went to check things out before the event itself, Anthony being able to prepare himself for the amount of ground they would have to cover. Unfortunately, almost nothing was set up at the time so he didn't get to prepare himself for the audible and the visual stimulations.   
Even as they made their way to the entrance of the field, noises of people calling for attention and bells ringing could be heard. The Italian would be lying if he said he wasn't feeling a little out of his element and sort of nervous.

As they walked, naturally, Alastor made sure to take note of the way that Anthony hobbled at times and the way his body would limp every so often. Even on the streetcar, Alastor made sure to observe the slightly uncomfortable way that Anthony sat. All of it reminding him of that morning's sudden events and how Anthony had said he belonged to him.

"Why, it sounds as if people are having fun already!"   
Alastor chimed, a slight smirk on his smiling face as he looked to Anthony and gestured ahead, busy stalls and crowds of people flooding the field.

The blonde glanced at his lover and smiled a little before looking back to the busy fun ahead of them.  
"Looks kinda crowded, but fun."  
He replied as they made their way deeper into the field, games, and people enjoying themselves surrounding the two men. The thing that Anthony thought of right away was how much Molly would have loved to witness all of this too. He would definitely have to tell her about it over the phone.

Of course, this was as Alastor had always remembered it to be- with the exception of the circus this year. Alastor always _adored_ the circus. Not only for its entertainment of a different form than his usual but especially this year due to the fact that Anthony was here.   
"Haha, I'm sure you don't even know where to start!"   
He laughed, glancing over to his lover who had a very clear expression of awe across his face, most probably quite overwhelmed by all of this.

Anthony nodded quickly; his eyes being drawn to so many different things at once.  
"Ya been t' one of these b'fore, so I'm gunna let ya call the shots on what we do."  
He stated, glancing at Alastor for a moment and then back to the action.

Looking around once more, Alastor clapped his hands together with a nod, striding forwards a few stalls that were around and off to the side, a little less crowded than the main row of stalls in the center.   
"How is your aim, Anthony?"   
Alastor teased, pointing towards a stall that had a few rows of cans lined up and small balls that supposedly had to be thrown into them.   
Of course, Alastor knew very well that Anthony's aim was quite good, knowing how to shoot and all.

Anthony raised a brow as he examined the setup that seemed to be some kind of game, quickly putting the pieces together. It seemed that in order to succeed at this 'game', you'd have to use the five balls provided to knock down the pyramid of cans in the distance. Clearly you couldn't get any closer than the barrier let you and he wasn't exactly sure what the point was. How many were you supposed to knock down and what happened when you accomplished the task?

"My aim? Ya really gunna ask _me_ that, Smiles?"  
The blonde asked with a small smirk. A small bluff, if anything. He never had practice with _throwing_ things, only shooting. Two very different methods of getting an object to travel. The trajectories were a little different and relied heavily on the thrower. Where you let the ball leave your hand, the force and power in your arm, etcetera.

With a gun, it was pretty simple considering the bullets would travel at around the same speed every time, and as long as you aimed right, you'd hit.  
Throwing objects manually wasn't like that.

"Hm, well. I figured I would check, yes."   
Alastor continued, pulling out his wallet and handing over a few coins to the man who was running the stall. In turn, five small wooden balls were slid over the counter, Alastor looking to Anthony with a nod.   
"Show me what you've got then."

The blonde's brows shot up for a moment and pointed to himself.  
"You... you want _me_ t'-?"  
He stopped, that question having an obvious answer.

With a bit of a shrug, Anthony made sure his sleeves were properly rolled up, grabbed one of the balls, and looked across at the cans.  
"So, I gotta get just the one stack, or do I try for all three?"  
He asked just to be sure.

Alastor nodded again, looking briefly over to the man who was standing watching while chewing away on a toothpick.   
"All three stacks I do believe. It should be fairly easy if you apply enough force."   
Of course, he wasn't taking into account Anthony's hand injury, but he presumed for something small such as throwing a ball, he would be okay.

Nodding, Anthony took a breath and started running the numbers in his head. The ball wasn't too heavy, so there wouldn't be a lot of force required to launch it.

"Alright, I guess that's easy enough."  
He shrugged, preparing himself to make his first throw. He wasn't sure why, but he was a little nervous despite this being nothing more than just a bit of fun.

Anthony cleared his throat once he came up with the best possible strategy, bringing his arm back and aiming for the middle can start the very bottom of the pyramid.  
With one final inhale, he exhaled as he made the throw, hitting where he meant to but had one can left standing.  
He couldn't help but smile and look at Alastor, almost seeing if he approved of his near success.

Alastor's smile only grew, the man looking over at Anthony with an encouraging nod as he knocked the majority of the cans over from the first stack, except for the single one.   
"Why, you're a natural Anthony!"   
He cheered.

Anthony gave a bit of a nod and kept his grin as he picked up the second ball.  
"Kinda wanna see what _you_ got."  
He said as he gingerly tossed the ball up a bit a few times.

Alastor laughed a little more at that, waving a hand dismissively.   
"No no no, this is _your_ time to shine, Anthony. I've been to the carnival plenty of times to last me a lifetime."

Anthony shrugged and closed his eyes before turning back to aim with a small hum.  
"If ya insist."  
He then made the throw, knocking another pyramid out, then rinsed and repeated. Picking up a ball and throwing it until he was down to the last ball and a single can.

"Alright. What happens if I don't get this one? What're the stakes?"  
He asked, feeling the pressure even though there was none.

Watching as Anthony got down to the last ball, all but one can left to knock down, Alastor hummed.  
"Well, nothing happens. You simply do not win the prize and have to either try again or walk away."   
He explained with a shrug, having thought that was quite obvious. To a mere carnival game, of course, there would be no high stakes of any sort.

"Alright, that ain't too bad I guess."  
The blonde shrugged. He wasn't entirely aware there were even prizes. It did make sense though, considering no one in the right mind would pay to toss some stuff around just for the hell of it.   
Taking aim one last time, Anthony took the shot, however missed by a hair; the can only shifting slightly in its place. 

That same cold shiver as always embracing his body as Anthony threw the ball; a cold feeling that Alastor had learned to welcome, knowing that entertainment of some sort always followed.  
There was a brief moment or two where Alastor caught glimpse of the shadowed friend, standing just behind the can, extending a singular twisted finger and knocking it down from the front. Well played.

Anthony's shoulders relaxed in something of some kind of disappointment in himself, about to look to Alastor when the can flipped back and joined the rest of them on the ground.

"Ah-ha!! Didja see that!?"  
Anthony beamed, excitedly pointing to the table that the cans sat on.

Alastor began to clap regardless, throwing a smirk towards the rather annoyed looking man that ran the stall.   
"Why Anthony, that was truly excellent! What a performance!"   
Of course, Alastor wasn't going to _tell_ Anthony of his rigged final throw. That would ruin the fun.

"Now... about that prize."  
Alastor inquired.

The man leaned down and reached under the table, handing Anthony a small stuffed bear, who took it with a big smile and looked it over a bit. He hadn't had anything like this since he was a small child.  
He smiled at the man and gave a nod as if tipping his hat.  
"Thank ya kindly."  
He then turned to Alastor.  
"What's next?"

Alastor snorted a small laugh at the stuffed bear that was handed over, hardly something fit for a man of Anthony's age, but he supposed a prize was a prize- and to see those dimples upon Anthony's face was a win in Alastor's book.   
"Hm, well there are plenty more carnival games. And I can't imagine that you'd be hungry after _all_ those beignets now, would you?"   
He spoke, smugness clear in his tone.

"Y' tellin' me there's food here too?"  
The blonde spoke, knowing he could smell hints of food but couldn't tell where it was coming from or what it was exactly.   
"Y' didn't tell me there would be or I woulda held off earlier."  
He added as he started to carefully put the small stuffed animal into his pocket, leaving it to just peak out.

"Oh yes, of course, there's food. Can you not smell it?"   
The taller man laughed.   
"We can always come back to it later once the beignets have digested if you wish."   
He nodded, leading Anthony over towards what was clearly a large carousel, many children and some women; presumably mothers, sitting upon the horses that spun around the ride. Of course, Alastor didn't expect Anthony to go on himself, but at least he could see what it was.

"In my defense, I didn't know where the smell was comin' from."  
Anthony replied, looking at their surroundings as they walked before he noticed the ride, watching that for a few good seconds.  
He would have liked to _maybe_ go on but also knew that with his age, he'd be looked at a little... strangely.

"What ah... what's that?"  
He asked with a tilt of his head.

Stopping and turning toward what he knew Anthony was looking at, Alastor neatly folded his arms behind his back and nodded.   
"That, Anthony dearest, is a carousel. The highlight of a child's carnival trip, no doubt, and a very popular ride too."

"Carousel."  
The blonde repeated with a small nod, hands finding their way into his pockets after maneuvering the stuffed bear out of the way a bit.   
"Does look like fun. Can see why kids would probably like somethin' like that."  
He chuckled lightly.

Alastor nodded once again at Anthony's reply, listening to the upbeat music that played as the carousel spun.   
"Yes, and I suppose, had _you_ been young, perhaps it would have been fun for yourself too."   
He shrugged, starting to walk away from the carnival ride.

Anthony nodded and followed close behind, pulling his eyes away from the ride and surveying the area.  
"Gunna go meet our friends again? Kinda curious t' see if we're welcome back there after Tuesday."  
He said. Loretta didn't seem too bothered when she supposedly saw them, but one could never be too certain when it came to matters such as those.

"Hm?"   
Alastor hummed, looking over his shoulder back at Anthony as he realized what the blonde was referring to.   
"Ah, well I suppose the performance is not for a while yet. But they will be busy practicing, will they not?"

Anthony found himself deadpanning, blinking slowly as he eyed the taller man.  
"I dunno. _Will_ they?"  
Alastor must have forgotten that he didn't know how anything of this sort worked or what their schedule was like.

Alastor nodded once more. However, as he'd just said, the circus performance wasn't for a while yet, so perhaps a small snoop around would be alright.   
"I suppose we can take a look and find out if they're busy. We can wish them luck with their performances!"

Anthony smiled and gave another firm nod.  
"Sounds like a plan, but maybe on our way over, we could hit up a few more games?"  
He suggested, feeling like once they were at their destination, they would be welcomed back and kept occupied until they heavily insisted that they take their leave.

Alastor did smile at that, seeing no reason why they couldn't play some other games first. After all, this was Anthony's first carnival.   
"Why yes, I think that's an excellent idea. I can't imagine that we'd be winning anymore after the luck we had with the cans, but you don't have to win to have fun!"

With that being said, the two men made their way towards the circus while making small stops to play more games. Each game played, Anthony won two out of the seven games, gaining another small trophy for each win. Even when he did lose, he didn't feel bad for it. Alastor was supportive through it all, not disappointed by any means.   
It wasn't something he was used to but it was a nice feeling to be able to do something just to have fun with no expectations.

At the final game, however, they were close enough to the circus now that just as Anthony was tossing the final ring, a familiar voice called out, causing the blonde to jolt and miss the empty bottle he was aiming for.

"Amici, siete tornati! Che bello rivederti!"  
[Friends, you're back! It's wonderful to see you again!]  
The voice called.

Alastor, on the other hand, did not flinch at the sudden voice that called out right behind them. The language may not have been one that he could by any means understand, but he recognized the voice, his eyes narrowing a fraction, reminding himself to be calm.

Anthony turned to see the smiling face of Ciro jogging his way over to them in a magnificent costume, white pants, and a red shirt adorned with gold beadwork throughout. The colors fit him extremely well, and upon further inspection, the other performers that stayed close to the tent were all wearing costumes of the same colors.

"Certamente! Ci siam divertiti martedi."  
[Obviously! We had a great time here on Tuesday.]  
Anthony replied with a smile before turning to Alastor, his smile widening at the sight of his lover; almost a sort of sign for him not to worry or become jealous. The smile widening was a gesture to show that even though someone else was able to make Anthony smile, Alastor was always the one to make that smile grow all the more.

Turning quickly on his heels to face Ciro, Alastor took the smallest step towards Anthony, taking note of the blonde's smile. He knew well what that smile meant, and while he appreciated it, this, unfortunately, could not be helped.

"Cai andiamo, che stai aspettando?"  
[Let's go, what are you waiting for?]  
Ciro continued.

"He's excited t' see us again and wants us t' go with him."  
Anthony translated quickly.  
"C'mon, Al. It's gunna be okay."  
He whispered softly as he looked up at him, putting a hand over his own heart and patted it lightly; a sign of sorts. He then started to walk towards the other man. He really wanted to take his lover's hand and pull him along while giving Alastor some mild comfort simultaneously but knew the consequences of that.

Following along behind the two men, Alastor gave a small nod in Anthony's direction, still keeping himself reasonably distanced from the blonde.   
"Yes. I'm sure it will be."   
He nodded, the large wonder that was the circus looming up just ahead of them.

As predicted, the two of them were led around to the back of the tent, the front entrance not accessible until the show was to begin later.

Ciro stopped just outside of the back entrance and held his index finger to his lips, telling the two guests to be quiet before slowly peering into the tent.  
Anthony followed the man's lead and leaned to look inside, seeing that Brania and Loretta were having a conversation dripping with something as sweet as honey. Alastor, of course, was hesitant but joined.

"We practice thousand time, Loretta."  
Brania spoke softly, her fingers gently holding under the smaller woman's chin so they could hold their eye contact.

Keeping her voice low and stood just off to the side of the back entrance to the tent, Loretta quietly nodded her head, keeping her chin within Brania's gentle hold. The way she held her was as if she was afraid she'd break like some precious china.   
"I _know_ , Brania. But you know me. A thousand times is not enough."   
She replied gently, eyes flicking away from the taller woman's to the ground as she took a step back away from the woman.   
"No matter how much we practice, I always get like this before a performance. I'm sorry."

The taller woman's features stayed soft, carefully wrapping her arm around Loretta.  
"You trust me, yes? I always catch you."  
She leaned down and placed a kiss to the woman's forehead.  
"I love you, Loretta. You are safe."  
She whispered softly.

Anthony suddenly understood and knew that his and Alastor's secret was safe. He knew why Loretta didn't make a scene when she said she'd seen them.   
Ciro obviously knew as well. He wouldn't have brought them back if he knew this was happening.

Loretta briefly let her eyes close, as if she was deep in thought before leaning into the arm of her girlfriend.   
"You always catch me."   
She repeated, taking a long breath and giving her head a shake to get back in the mindset she'd been in before the sudden wave of nerves hit.

"We should get back to it soon, don't you think? I need to stretch some more."   
She trailed off, however, caught some gentle movement from behind the back entrance of the tent; and, if she squinted, she could undoubtedly see shadows behind the red and white wall now.   
"Who's there?"   
She demanded, looking over to Brania now with mild worry.

Ciro couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he stepped out into view.  
"Only me and our friends from the other day. Do not worry."  
He said as he motioned for Anthony and Alastor to join them inside.

Loretta immediately relaxed, bringing a hand up to fix her red and gold accented headband with a sigh. Too many times had there been close calls similar to that, only for it to turn out to be just Ciro.   
"Oh, you're both back."   
She nodded. She had already informed Brania of the encounter she'd had with Anthony when the two men had been leaving the circus the other day.

Brania's face immediately lit up as soon as she saw Anthony, walking over and wrapping her arms around him in the same bear hug that she'd given before.  
"So happy to see friends again!"  
She cheered, lifting the poor man up and squeezing, causing his breath to leave his body with a squeak and set him down again, then went to do the same to Alastor when she saw him.

As Brania joyfully welcomed them, Alastor, as he saw the muscular woman approaching for a squeeze similar to the one she'd given Anthony, politely stepped aside with a small shake of his head.   
"Yes, it's wonderful to be invited back again. I am most certainly looking forward to the performance later on."

Anthony quickly did his best to fix himself after the sudden manhandling and looked to Loretta.  
"I understand now..."  
He said softly.  
"We were kinda scared that we wouldn't be allowed back here after what 'cha saw but ah..."  
He didn't see where he was going with that.

Loretta cleared her throat, looking briefly over to Brania again.   
"Yes... you don't have to worry. We both know how that feels. You're safe."   
She smiled lightly.

Brania nodded.  
"Part of reason why we left home countries."

Anthony watched as the taller woman walked over to Loretta, placing a hand on her back.   
"Well, either way, thanks for makin' us feel welcome. We really appreciate it. Hard findin' people like us and places we know we can be safe."  
He said as he looked to Alastor, gently taking his hand with a small smile.

So, the people here were safe. Most certainly interesting, however, Alastor was not going to turn down an invitation to hold Anthony's hand, giving it a small squeeze.

"I suppose it's a good convenience that we've all met."  
Ciro smiled, placing his hands on his hips.

Alastor's chin raised as Ciro began to speak, his attention falling on the man with slightly narrowed eyes.

"We did have a feeling the two of you were involved when you showed up. I saw the looks Alastor was giving you and vice versa."  
He chuckled lightly.  
"Not to mention the looks Alastor gave _me_."

"Yes..."  
Alastor trailed off, looking back to Anthony now.

Ciro nodded and offered a smile.  
"I do assure you; I do not look to get between the two of you. I do not find myself enjoying the company of men. I apologize for any strife I may have caused."

Anthony inhaled and nodded, squeezing Alastor's hand a little more as he returned his gaze for a moment.  
"Everythin's fine. Nothin' for any of us t' worry about."  
He replied in general, speaking to no one directly.

Loretta stepped in now, something of confusion upon her face.   
"Wait, you thought my brother was getting between you two? That's funny. He has a wife you know."   
She laughed a little, head shaking.

Now, Alastor wouldn't admit to it, but regret was most definitely something that he might have briefly felt at that moment. Perhaps being too quick to judge wasn't always the best option.

Anthony raised a brow as he noticed the new emotion cross Alastor's face. While it was nice to see that Alastor recognized that he was incorrect and possibly felt bad about it, it wasn't a very good look for him.  
Smiling gently, he turned and brought his free hand up to cup his lover's cheek.  
"It's alright."  
He whispered as he brought their foreheads together.

Alastor smiled softly, nodding as Anthony recognized his clear regret. It was somewhat nice to be able to receive such comfort while in the presence of other people and not have to hide it; but of course, he wouldn't admit to such a thing.

Brania couldn't stop the smile that took over, genuinely happy to see that they were trusted with such precious moments.

Ciro cleared his throat softly to get the attention back to previous matters.  
"Well, with that settled, would you care to watch us practice before the show? We'd love to have you."  
The man smiled.

Anthony kept his eyes on Alastor for a moment longer before nodding and looking over to the others.   
"I think we'd like that a lot."

Alastor simply nodded, turning back to Ciro and the two women.   
"Yes, I think that would be just swell."   
He smiled, looking to Anthony as he briefly glanced at him.

Anthony's smile widened slightly, leaning in and placing a quick peck to his lover's cheek before following their performer friends to the main stage, letting go of Alastor's hand just in case.   
They were then brought to sit on the bleachers and left to enjoy the loose performance in rehearsal.

Anthony found himself watching the aerialists and trapeze the most, watching them all swing around freely in the air. Quite a terrifying thought if he really thought about it, probably being the reason why he found it the most attention-grabbing.

Anthony found himself gasping and quickly grabbing onto Alastor when he thought someone from above was going to fall or something startled him; like a roar of a lion, a sudden burst of flames from the firebreather, or even when the knife thrower threw the blades at the subject.   
Even though this was only a rehearsal, it was still incredible and thrilling to watch. It made him wonder how the actual show could have gotten any more magnificent than this.   
A true masterpiece of skills sewn together intricately was an understatement in the blonde's eyes.

Alastor of course enjoyed all the practice acts that he and Anthony were luckily allowed to witness before the main performance of the show. It was naturally a very entertaining feat and Alastor enjoyed every second of it. It left him much anticipating that evening's main performance.

Once the rehearsal came to a close about an hour and a half later, Anthony stood immediately and burst into applause with the widest of awestruck smiles.

When Anthony began his round of applause, Alastor slowly stood up beside him, clapping slowly along with him. The wealth of applause was of course not even a fraction of what Alastor knew it would be when the performance started for real, but for now, this was fine. 

"Why, wasn't that just swell, Anthony darling?"   
Alastor cheered, looking back over at his lover, admiring his gorgeously wide and dimple filled smile.

Anthony looked at Alastor with his bright, shiny eyes and nodded excitedly.   
"I'm speechless!"  
He beamed before looking back to the performers as they all bowed, the blonde now calling cheers of appreciation in Italian.   
Some of the Italian-speaking performers, Ciro, Loretta, and Brania included, all bowed once again.

The ringmaster stepped closer to Arison, the man they met that kept the snakes, and seemed to have a brief conversation before returning to the back of the tent.

Ciro decided that would be the best time to go over and check on their guests.  
"Ti e' piaciuto lo spettacolo?"  
[How did you enjoy the performance?]  
The man asked when he got close enough.

Alastor's gaze fell to Ciro as the muscular man approached the two of them, speaking his sentences in Italian, directing his words towards Anthony.

"Fantastico! Magnifico! Abbiamo amato ogni momento!"  
[Fantastic! Magnificent! We loved every moment!]  
Anthony replied.

"Yes, it was quite the performance."  
Alastor nodded, assuming that's what was asked as he kept his gaze upon the man, arms folding in front of his chest in a subconsciously defensive stance.

Anthony grinned and moved his hands to situate in his pockets.  
"Gotta say, ya had me scared a few times."  
He chuckled out as Ciro patted him on the back.

"Ah, not to worry! We've been doing this for _years_ , my friend!"  
The man replied, his gaze landing on Alastor for a moment. Upon seeing the defensive stance he had taken, he took a small step back out of respect.  
"The real show isn't due to begin for another few hours, so you'd be welcome to stay or go and enjoy the events outside, of course."

As soon as Ciro visibly took a step back, Alastor's arms lowered away from their crossed position over his chest, the brunette looking back to Anthony with a small smile.   
"Why yes, I do think Anthony and I will take our leave for a bit. There is still so much to do, after all."

Ciro nodded and reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled out two tickets.  
"The first show is on us. The ticket is good to use for any show, so it doesn't have to be today."  
He said, handing the blonde two tickets.

Anthony took the slips and looked at it for a moment.  
"Grazie."  
He smiled, looking up to see Ciro starting to make his way back to the ring.  
He then looked up at Alastor.

Alastor was more or less silent as Ciro handed them two free tickets to the circus, watching as Anthony pocketed them and then turned to him.  
"Well? What's our next plan of action, boss?"

"Well... there are a few things I wish to show you within the carnival."   
Alastor nodded, the two of them beginning to walk towards the back exit of the tent.

Anthony started to follow, giving the crew one last wave goodbye before they left, his smile still wide. Before they could get too far, the blonde took his lover's hand and stopped him from going any further.  
"One thing b'fore we go."  
He said softly as he pulled Alastor out of the way.

After one more scan of their surroundings, Anthony brought his arms up to wrap around Alastor's neck and leaned up, placing a kiss to his lips.

Alastor stopped in his tracks as he was pulled to the side, eyes widening a little as he felt Anthony's lips suddenly on his own. Regardless, he welcomed it, letting his hands fall to quickly rest on either side of Anthony's hips before they pulled back. 

"Sweet."   
Alastor chuckled, being able to taste the beignets still on Anthony's lips from earlier.

Anthony chuckled and pecked Alastor's cheek before letting go entirely and stepping back, brushing himself off.  
"Just thought a little refresher was in order b'fore we go out again."  
He stated.  
"Alright, let's get goin'."  
He nodded, pulling the curtain back for the two of them to exit through.

Once back out into the field of the carnival, Alastor looked up at the sky.  
"Now, it may take us a bit to find it, but there is something that we most certainly must do, my dear."   
Alastor began, fixing the lapels of his jacket before he led the way.

Anthony found himself intrigued.   
"Somethin' we _must_ do, huh? Can I ask what this thing is?"  
He questioned as he glanced around at all of the people still out and about.

Alastor's smile widened as he looked back at his lover, giving him a simple shrug.   
"Nope, you may not. You'll have to simply wait and see."   
He replied with a laugh, scanning the crowds and all the different stands and stalls.

Anthony raised a brow and crossed his arms over his chest at the response he was given.  
"Well, fine then. Maybe I _will_ wait."  
He huffed as he continued to follow the taller man. He definitely took note to not eat anything for the next time they came out, seeing all of the stands with food and snacks.

The food did smell awfully delicious, and Alastor was almost tempted upon a number of occasions to buy something as they strolled past- but he decided it better to wait just a little longer.   
The two men were ten minutes slowly walking or so before just up ahead was a small cue of people leading up to a curtained screen area. 

"Aha!"   
Alastor grinned, pointing towards the cue.   
"There we have it."

Anthony's attention was immediately grabbed when Alastor exclaimed and pointed.  
A flash of light caught his eye from that direction almost immediately; a flash that he recognized rather easily.  
"We're... gettin' our photograph done?"  
He asked, looking up at the wide smile that was on his lover's face.

Alastor could only beam. Only a small handful of times in his life had he been able to have his picture taken, but with cameras becoming more and more accessible as the years went by, this was most definitely exciting.   
"Why yes, we are! I presumed that it would be a nice memory to cherish this day."

Anthony found his own lips curling into a smile. The idea wasn't one he would have thought Alastor to come up with, but he certainly wasn't going to complain. The more things he could use to remember the trip and even have something to show his sister so she could see just how lucky he was, the better.

As they drew closer and stood in line, Anthony couldn't help the giddiness he started to feel bubbling up inside of him. The photograph was certainly going to be one of his most prized possessions.

Eventually, after a relatively short wait, the two of them got to the front of the cue, Alastor looking to Anthony with a small smile.   
The photographer ushered them to behind a small screen where he stood with his camera in hand, directing them so they stood with the entire view of the carnival behind them, the circus tent and Ferris wheel in the distance too.

For every photograph he'd ever taken part in, Anthony wasn't allowed to smile, so when he was instructed to, he felt a little weird doing so. Of course, he did anyway because he was happy and wanted to have good documentation of his joy with Alastor.

"Can we get two, actually?"  
Anthony requested. 

Of course, Alastor didn't have a problem or any trouble when it came to smiling for the camera. When Anthony requested two photos, Alastor's smile grew all the more. He of course planned to let Anthony keep the photo of the two of them, however, if there were going to be two, then they'd have one each.

The photographer nodded and made sure to snap two photos before the assistant walked over and got their names, took the payment, and instructed them to return on the final day of the carnival to pick up the final product.

Walking away from the setup, Anthony looked back with a wide smile.  
"Kinda hope those photos turn out alright."

With a nod as they walked away from the photographer, Alastor chuckled.   
"I'm sure they'll be just fine."

Anthony nodded and took one last look around.  
"We got a plan for what we're gunna do next or wouldja be alright if we-"  
Just before he was able to finish, he _finally_ noticed the Ferris wheel in the near distance.  
"What's _that_?"  
He asked, eyes glued to the moving structure.

Alastor rose a brow as Anthony failed to finish his sentence, the man looking across at what the blonde was pointing at.   
"Oh, I presumed you'd already seen it. It takes up much of the skyline, so I figured you knew what it was."   
He shrugged.   
"It's a Ferris wheel, however the lines are awfully long to get on it."

"We're doin' it."  
Anthony stated.   
"Not right away but we're definitely doin' it at some point."  
He said as he started making his way towards it. He just wanted to get a close look and see what the line was like for it, hoping it wouldn't be very long so they could maybe squeeze it in twice over the few days it would be up.  
"C'mon!"

Alastor couldn't stop the small chuckle that left his lips at Anthony's clear determination to get on that ride at some point before the carnival came to an end.   
"Alright alright, I'm right behind you Anthony."   
He smiled.

They started making their way through the crowds, Anthony keeping his eyes up on the ride. As they passed by the circus again, however, he stopped when he heard his name be called.  
His head turned to see Ciro.

Alastor turned to see Ciro too, deciding to try and not be too standoff-ish this time. He supposed he had no reason to be anymore. It had been well established that Ciro was by no means into men and even had a wife. Sure, Alastor could not like the man, but he didn't have to be jealous anymore.  
But of course, had he said that out loud, he would have spoken too soon.

"Hai dimenticato il tuo orsacchiotto!"  
[You forgot your teddy bear!]  
The man called as he took Anthony's hands and placed the teddy bear in his grasp.  
"Prenditene cura, sì?"  
[Take care of it, yes?]

Anthony looked down at the stuffed animal, realizing it must have fallen out of his pocket at some point.  
"Ah, grazie! Devo smetterla di perder roba."  
[Oh, thanks! I have to stop dropping things.]  
The blonde chuckled lightly but stopped at the feeling of a hand ruffling up his hair.

"Non fa niente."  
[It's okay.]  
Ciro replied with a chuckle, then turned to Alastor with a nod.  
"See you both later, yes?"  
He asked before jogging back toward the tent.

"Ciao!"  
Anthony called as he started trying to fix his hair.

Just watching as Ciro handed Anthony the thing that the blonde had won at the carnival that afternoon and seeing the way Ciro's hand ruffled _his_ Anthony's hair. That was it. As Ciro walked away, Alastor let his chest puff out a little as he let his hand slip into the inside of his jacket pocket. He began to start to walk towards the man as he made his way back to the tent.

Anthony was about to turn to Alastor and tell him they were about to continue on their way, but stopped with his smile falling as he noticed Alastor stride past him.  
"Al? What's-"  
He paused, seeing the man reaching into his pocket.

Quickly stepping forward, Anthony grabbed Alastor's arm and noticed how tense he was.  
"Al quit it. C'mon, please?"  
He was trying not to make a huge scene over this considering how many people were around, and he didn't know for sure that his lover was going for the object he thought he was.

When Alastor held strong and continued walking, the blonde grabbed Alastor's wrist, feeling the knife hidden within his sleeve. That was the last straw.

Tightening his grip and standing firmly, he made sure to have Alastor stop.  
Anthony didn't really have any words to be said in this setting, but he really did have enough of this and he wanted Alastor to see the very clearly upset expression he had on his face.

As soon as Anthony grabbed his arm, Alastor knew that he had felt the blade hiding up his sleeve. He wore his intentions on his face very well.   
"Anthony."   
Alastor replied softly, yet the annoyance was clear in his tone and through his gritted smile. Regardless, he stopped.

The blonde clenched his teeth. Everything he wanted to say wasn't appropriate for this place. He slowly let go of the man's arm once he was certain he wasn't going to move anymore.

"You're _despicable_."  
He spat before turning on his heels and hurriedly made his way back through the crowds toward the entrance of the field.   
He hoped that was enough to get Alastor to stop and realize that he'd made a horrible mistake, but even if it wasn't and he proceeded with his actions, Anthony would probably hear about it in the papers, Alastor would be caught and put to trial, Anthony would go back home, renounce his love for the man and dispose of everything he kept that reminded him of what they were.

Ciro didn't deserve to die. He was a very friendly person and it was made clear that day that he meant no harm to them or their relationship.

Anthony didn't bother looking back. He didn't want to know what was going to happen until after it happened. Clenching his teeth and fists, he swiftly made his way through the swarms of people.   
Thankfully, he remembered which way the exit roughly was and made his brisk escape.   
Perhaps leaving Alastor wasn't the greatest idea, possibly being able to prevent the murder of an innocent man if he decided he was going to continue on that route, but he really couldn't stand the fact that his lover still didn't seem to care to look at everything that was laid out in front of him.

Once he was just outside of the grounds, Anthony stopped and reached into his pocket, quickly grabbing his cigarette and lighter. Putting a cigarette between his lips, he started trying to light it up, but his trembling fingers weren't exactly cooperating with him. It took a few tries before he accomplished the steady flame and used it to light the end.   
With a sigh, he loaded his pockets again and started walking to the streetcar stop.  
  
  


Alastor stayed standing still, looking back at Anthony, his expression flinching in the slightest as his lover spat those words of clear hurt.

He felt the hesitation physically straining on him as he looked in the direction of the circus, and then back to Anthony, but it seemed the blonde had already run off. Overwhelmed with a sudden sense of worry, reluctantly, Alastor followed after the blonde, pushing through crowds of people to try and find the path that his lover had taken.

Whether Anthony had taken that route or not, the exit of the field was the way that Alastor decided to make his way to, looking around rather frantically now for any signs of the blonde. He shouldn't have let him go off on his own in such a busy place, in such unfamiliar surroundings. Of course, Anthony could look after himself, but Alastor didn't want him to be overwhelmed. Especially after what had just happened.

Walking quickly, soon enough Alastor was wandering through the exit, and eventually, to just outside the grounds of the field. Anthony must have walked quite fast since when Alastor finally spotted him, he was quite far ahead. 

"Anthony!"   
Alastor called out, beginning to chase after the blonde.

If he was honest, Anthony felt a small wave of relief wash over him but strong enough to make him slow down.   
Ciro was safe... for now. If he wanted to keep him safe, he would have to keep Alastor distracted. Have him keep chasing.

"What?"  
He called back, not looking nor completely stopping in his tracks.

Running just so he could catch up with Anthony, Alastor held out his hand and took the blonde's arm, trying to get him to stop walking.   
"Anthony- come now. You don't have to walk away like this."   
He replied.   
"I didn't harm him, but he had _no_ right to do what he did."

Anthony's brows knitted together and not only stopped when he was grabbed, but he whipped himself around so that the man could see the clear displeasure on his features.   
Luckily the street was rather clear, everyone busy enjoying the festivities, but Anthony kept his voice low as he spoke.

"Oh, I'm sorry, and you have the right to kill any livin' thing that lays a finger on me? I'll tell ya right now, there's a long list o' people up in New York I'm sure you're gunna wanna take care of. I'll start writin' every name for ya. I warn ya, it's at _least_ half the city."  
He stated, removing the cigarette from his lips as he glared up at Alastor.

There was something in his eyes now that had never been seen by his lover. This was pure rage and disapproval; something Anthony never thought Alastor would ever end up seeing, especially directed at him.

Alastor took the smallest of steps back upon hearing and _seeing_ Anthony reacting in this way.   
"He did _not_ have to go and do such a thing right in front of me. Besides, I cannot see the issue this time. I've killed plenty _many_ times before and not once did you make such a big fuss. Oh, but of course, my dear, this is Ciro we're speaking of."

It was very clear to Alastor that Anthony disapproved of his attempted actions towards Ciro, even if they weren't fully put forwards into motion. Alastor still couldn't quite understand why Anthony was so upset about this.   
Ciro meant nothing to Anthony, and to Alastor, it was just another life being taken from a person who had wronged him.

Anthony slowly shook his head.   
"I didn't realize that a _heterosexual man_ with a _wife_ was such _huge_ competition for ya. I _also_ didn't realize that said heterosexual man messin' my hair up was equal t' kissin' me and maybe even _fuckin_ ' me! A damn _wonder_ how no one else seemed t' bat an eye at that little show. God, kinda messed up if that's the case 'cause my own brother messes my hair up all the time!"  
He replied with a sarcastic huff of a laugh, making sure to keep his voice low and as calm as he could.   
"Funny how things translate differently for everyone, ain't it?"

With that, Anthony paused before putting his cigarette back in his mouth and turned on his heels, starting to walk again.  
He was so furious that he actually used the word 'fuck'. It wasn't a word thrown around often unless referred to the action of sex in an _extremely_ vulgar way.

Whether he quipped back or not, or came up with some smart remark, Alastor knew that it wouldn't make Anthony stay. He still very much failed to see how he was in the wrong and thought that this overreaction was Anthony's fault somehow- but talking to the blonde wasn't doing much good. Not when he'd started to walk away again.

Alastor simply didn't give a response. Hands folding themselves behind his back, he took a step to the side. Perhaps some space, to give Anthony a chance to cool down, was needed. Shaking his head, Alastor too began to walk away.

Anthony was about to turn around and add something but his breath was actually caught. He was really upset by this and he didn't know if he could form any more words.   
So, he simply continued walking back to the streetcar stop. He didn't look back but he knew that Alastor wasn't following him anymore. 

Walking away like this felt odd, especially after the spat with his lover. This didn't happen often at all, but naturally, he and his partner weren't going to agree all the time. Disagreements would form from time to time, Alastor was well aware; but even so, the lingering thought of Ciro still stood.   
Whether Alastor was wrong or if Anthony was wrong, or if _both_ of them were in the wrong to some degree, that lingering thought still dug at Alastor. Then the thought began to take form in his mind, a voice he was familiar with paired with a cold chill he was even more accustomed to.   
' _Kill_.' ' _Kill_.' ' _Kill him_.'

By this point, Alastor's feet were firmly in the ground as he stood still to the side of some trees along the pathway back to the carnival field. His hand began to reach into his inner jacket pocket as slow as anything, the chilling whisper of a voice getting louder, his thoughts wandering, gaze darting across the ground as he truly contemplated doing what Anthony had deemed ' _despicable_ '. Taking the life of an innocent man for touching _his_ Anthony.

" _Stop_."   
Quickly raising a hand, almost as if he were waving the shadow away, the voice ceased.   
"Bother me no more with this."   
Alastor said rather firmly, the faintest of cracks in his voice. Had he been in not such a state of mind, he might have even been surprised that the entity stopped upon his command, but alas, he needed to clear his head. Wanting to give Anthony his space still, Alastor decided to seek him out later. For now, a simple walk alone with his hopefully now calming thoughts would do.

Climbing onto the streetcar, Anthony made his way back to the French Quarter. He went back to the hotel and up to his room, still seething from how things had played out.   
With a shake of his head, he started pacing around his room, muttering to himself in Italian.

He didn't have his usual access to letting off steam, but he did suddenly have an idea. There was someone close by that knew Alastor better than anyone else within walking distance, so maybe he would go to her for some advice and see if she could break things down for him.   
So, after fixing himself a bit, Anthony left his room and headed right for Rosie's.  
If she couldn't help him understand, he feared that no one would be able to.


	54. Chapter 54

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Thursday, August 9th, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

With some of that time to cool himself off and gather his thoughts, Anthony found himself walking up to Rosie's front door. He was hesitant in knocking at first considering he was alone and hadn't called prior. It seemed quite rude to just drop in; not to mention she could have been out.  
This could have been a fruitless idea, but he didn't know what else to do. She was the only one who really knew of Alastor's habits and knew how that man ticked. She also seemed to be so full of wise advice. What other choice did he have?   
Anthony really did feel kind of stranded with this. Alastor seemed to think he was so far in the right that there was no possible way he could have been wrong.

If there was no answer, he would just come back later, but he didn't want to see Alastor until he knew exactly what he was supposed to do.  
So, with a deep breath, Anthony fixed his shirt a bit and knocked upon the woman's door.

The knock on the door, fortunately, didn't startle Rosie from where she sat in the living room, reading a book. She wasn't expecting anyone over that late afternoon, Madeline had already called her that morning, and it was getting quite late for regular visitors. So naturally, Rosie could only assume that meant one thing.

Standing from her seat, placing her book down, and smoothing out her skirt, Rosie steadily walked to the front door and opened it.   
Anthony, but no Alastor?   
"Ah, Anthony. Quite the welcomed surprise. Do come in."   
The woman offered, stepping back to let the Italian in.

That wasn't quite the reaction Anthony was expecting but didn't complain, stepping into the home with a bit of a sheepish smile.

"Sorry for droppin' in on ya, Rosie, alone too. Probably ain't the most appropriate thing for someone like me t' do."  
He said, something clearly reading as almost nervous in his words. He definitely didn't want to waste the woman's time.

Rosie smiled smugly, practically being able to see the nerves dripping off of the poor boy as she quietly closed the door behind him.   
"Oh no, don't be silly, Anthony. Although I am curious as to why he's not here."

Before the blonde went any further into the house, he paused.  
"Ah... y' want me t' take my shoes off first?"  
His mind was a bit scattered at the moment so he couldn't remember if that was something Rosie expected as well.

Looking down at the man's shoes as he spoke, Rosie shook her head.   
"It's quite alright."  
Leading Anthony into the lounge, she took her seat again, motioning for Anthony to sit as well.   
"Now, what brings you here?"

Anthony nodded and followed the woman, sitting when he was told to. It was still mildly uncomfortable to sit but he certainly wasn't going to object.  
"Well, it's actually gotta do with him."  
Assuming they were referring to the same 'him'.  
"I just... dunno where t' start, exactly."  
He added, rubbing his neck a bit as his gaze met the floor.

Rosie nodded once, leaning back in her armchair and waiting for Anthony to continue. So, Alastor had perhaps had a fall out with Anthony? That was certainly interesting.   
"Go from the beginning if you must. We have plenty of time."

Anthony took a breath and nodded.   
"Alright, well, we went t' the circus on Tuesday and met the performers. Everythin' was fine except for one particular performer that Al didn't seem too fond of. We actually went back home and talked about it."  
He began, his hands more or less fidgeting in his lap.  
"We were at the carnival t'day, just enjoyin' a couple of games as one does while there, I assume, when Ciro came and brought us back t' watch 'em all practice. Al still held his stance on Ciro even after our little... discussion both on Tuesday and another this mornin'."  
Of course, he decided to leave the intimate details out.

"Anyway, we left after the private show, we went t' do somethin' and as we passed the circus again, Ciro came out and returned somethin' that I dropped. Somethin' that Ciro did though seemed t' really set Al off. So much so that Al actually went for his knife and went t' follow him. I just..."  
Anthony paused, making sure to take a breath and gather his thoughts.  
"Ciro ain't even like us. He's got a wife and even if I was interested in him, once the circus gets packed up, I'd probably never see him again. I can't help but feel like Al doesn't trust me even after everythin' we've been through."  
With that, he fell silent and looked across at the woman. He did feel bad for talking so much.

Rosie carefully listened to all that Anthony had to say, imagining the scenarios in her mind and putting all the pieces together where she could. Yes, it was quite unlike Alastor to be jealous of anyone. Then again, she had never witnessed Alastor ever have anyone to get jealous over. She already knew that jealousy didn't suit him in the slightest. 

"That boy will never learn."   
Rosie sighed, slowly standing from her seat.   
"Would you like some tea? It might calm your mind."   
She needed a moment to think a bit more about this and the sort of response to give Anthony. So, in the meantime, she would make use of the water she had boiled not too long ago.

That's not exactly how Anthony was taking it. He thought that maybe she was going to break some horrible news about Alastor and using the offer as a way to somehow lighten the load or distract from it a little. How tea was going to do that, he didn't know.   
Either way, he nodded.  
"I'd appreciate that, Rosie. Thanks."

He then stood as well and followed her to the kitchen, staying more or less silent as he did. He wasn't sure what more to really say.  
"Is this normal for him?"  
Alright, maybe he did have something in mind.

Moving over to the water that had recently boiled, Rosie took it off the stove and placed it to the side, glancing over her shoulder back at the man.   
"Hm? Normal? Well, it's hard to say. Alastor has never had this sort of relationship with anyone before. I will say though, that jealousy does not suit him one bit."   
She began with a firm nod.   
"What do _you_ think about the situation, hm?"

Anthony supposed that was an acceptable answer. He knew that Alastor hadn't felt romantic love toward anyone before so this wouldn't exactly be known territory for Rosie either.

"I think he's bein' a little overprotective and a little... unreasonable. All Ciro did was mess up my hair a bit. Ain't like he grabbed me and kissed me or anythin'."  
He explained, folding his arms over his chest with a shrug.  
"Like I said, he ain't like us and as far as I know, he ain't done nothin' wrong. For Al t' reach for his knife and start walkin' after him, I-"  
He paused with a shake of his head.  
"I dunno. Does messin' someone's hair up mean somethin' out here? Seems fine enough back home when my own brother does it and no one around us batted an eye at the carnival."

"There you go."   
Rosie began, letting the tea sit and brew.   
"Tell him exactly that. Alastor may be a fool sometimes, more than he knows, but he will listen to everything you tell him- even if he doesn't always listen well enough. That's simply how his mind works."   
She nodded again.   
"You can't teach an old dog new tricks, Anthony dear, but luckily for you, Alastor can be persuaded I find. He's not too set in his ways just yet. He'll come around to the _absurd_ idea that he was wrong, and he will apologize for it, just you wait."

Anthony slowly nodded and took a breath.   
This was a learning experience for everyone it seemed.   
Anthony, never having even thought about any of this sort of romance stuff let alone with a murderer who was apparently extremely possessive.  
Alastor, being in the same sort of situation except with anyone in general.  
And Rosie, who never knew Alastor to be this kind of person.  
It was all a bit of a mess, but that was okay. No one ever said any of this was going to be easy for anyone involved.

"Thank you, Rosie. I really appreciate your input on this. I also apologize again for droppin' in on ya. I didn't know who else t' talk to about any of this. His mom doesn't know about his... pastime, so I couldn't exactly go t' her about it, y' know?"  
Anthony chuckled lightly.

Rosie was about to say something, however, couldn't help the scoff that left her lips upon the mention of Amélie.   
"Oh yes, I'm not even surprised that woman doesn't have the faintest idea. Even if she did know, Alastor still wouldn't speak to her about it."   
She nodded again, walking over to the cupboard and bringing out two china cups for the tea and a beautifully delicate teapot.

That was another thing Anthony found himself curious about.  
"Hope ya don't mind me pryin' a bit, but what's the beef b'tween you and Amélie?"  
He asked with a tilt of his head. He knew it was really none of his business but he couldn't help his curiosity. Not to mention the fact that she seemed to openly despise Alastor's mother and made no effort to really hide it, even now.

Rosie raised an eyebrow at that. Presumably, neither Alastor nor Amélie themselves had told Anthony about it. Of course, they wouldn't have. As for Rosie? She didn't see the harm in Anthony knowing. It was her story to tell anyways.   
"She has never been fond of me, but I know she puts up with me because Alastor is fond of me."   
She began, placing the two teacups and teapot on a tray before beginning to bring it back into the lounge. 

Anthony followed close behind, returning to his seat. He could tell this would be a fairly interesting story if it stemmed that far back in time.

"Well, Amélie was actually quite thankful that I was around in the beginning when Jacques passed and she was forced to begin working. I already had Madeline to look after, therefore offered to watch Alastor for what was at first a few hours a few days a week."   
Rosie began, putting the tray down on a table and pouring a cup of tea for Anthony before passing it over. 

Anthony accepted the cup with a small 'thank you', letting the woman continue.

"Rather quickly, Amélie began to do more and more hours at the hospital and I found myself watching Alastor more constantly, seven days a week. The woman completely brought it upon herself too, killing her only support and taking on such long hours, but apparently she didn't quite like the fact that I was always around her son, acting as a mother to him."   
Pouring herself a cup now, Rosie sat back down again.

"I'm not quite sure why she didn't like the way I was raising her son. I taught him to properly write, read, and how to be a gentleman upon a plethora of other things. Most importantly, I taught him to survive. I was there for him when she was nowhere to be seen."

Anthony held his cup carefully as he listened, feeling like there was perhaps more to the story than just that.  
"So, it's just a little jealousy thing?"

It was moments like these that he understood and didn't blame himself for preferring men. Women seemed so complex and hard to fully understand.   
Giovanni's wife and Molly seemed to be another fine example of his lack of understanding of the opposite sex.  
It was almost like they had their own secret language and communicated telepathically, sending each other hateful comments, and having entire brawls and catfights just by looking at each other.

Taking a sip of her tea, bringing a hand to her chest briefly, Rosie shook her head.   
"No no, not entirely."   
She continued on, clearing her throat.   
"It got to the point where I felt it would be better if I became Alastor's permanent parental figure. I saw no problem with the concept when I proposed adoption to Amélie, however, it seemed that she was not fond of the idea whatsoever."   
Speaking as if it were the most casual thing in the world, Rosie could only smile.   
"She threatened me as a response, and I must say, I was quite impressed with how fast she pulled a knife on me. That, and how angry the woman got. I honestly never thought her capable, haha!"

Everything seemed normal up until the knife part came into play, causing the man's brows to raise and eyes to blink a few times.   
So, one murder and one _attempted_ murder under Amelie's belt, all for Alastor's sake by the sounds of it.

"Well, ain't that somethin'..."  
He said with a slow nod, Anthony bringing his cup to his lips in a slow sip.

Observing Anthony's surprise, Rosie's smirk grew.   
"Yes, I was surprised as well; but naturally, I held my defense too, bringing a knife to her throat in return. I think she was quite shocked I had a weapon on my person, but what do you expect? From there we made a mutual decision to not speak of that conversation again. I would not adopt Alastor, and she would still continue to let me watch him as she worked."

"But ya still hate each other."  
Anthony responded with a bit of a nod.  
This was quite a bit of information to gain at once, and he didn't know what he was expecting to hear, but it certainly wasn't that. It was interesting though, how Amélie was willing to do anything for her son but when it came to herself, she just let things happen.

Sipping at her tea again, Rosie then carefully set the teacup down.   
"Hate is a very strong word, Anthony. What I feel towards Amélie is a mere annoyance. She is an ignorant woman who made all the wrong choices. Call that harsh or what you would like. What she feels towards me is completely her own jurisdiction."   
She replied, there being a few moments of silence while Anthony proceeded. 

With his gaze falling to the floor again, he took a moment to process a little more.  
"Does he know about that?"

Rosie's eyes narrowed slightly. Of course, only a fool would miss the unease and tension in the air when Amélie and Rosie were in the same room together, and Alastor was well aware of that, but she wasn't sure if he knew the whole story.   
"He doesn't know that I offered to adopt him, and I don't think it wise to tell him that detail. As for mine and Amélie's mutual dislike? I'm sure he knows."

Anthony nodded again, taking another slow sip of his tea.  
"I'll keep all that t' myself then."  
He said with a small sniff. Usually, tea wasn't his thing but he wasn't even thinking about that right now.  
"Well ah... anyway. Um..."  
Where was he supposed to go from here?

Letting there be another since for a few moments, Rosie then spoke up, going back to the very reason Anthony had come to her in the first place.  
"You can't let Alastor get away with these things, you know. He needs to know that he's wrong. Talk with him, get your point across. Shout if you have to, he won't shout back."

Anthony looked to the woman again and swallowed the lump in his throat.  
"Right. No, I'll make sure t' be patient with him, but firm."

Now that he thought about it, he never heard Alastor raise his voice at anyone for any reason. Perhaps if he was calling to someone within the house, but that wasn't the same thing. Not during their intimate moments, not during any kills that he had witnessed.   
_Never._

"Thank you for all of this advice, ma'am. I dunno what I woulda done otherwise."  
He chuckled lightly.  
"Things should be back t' normal b'fore that party on Sunday."

Rosie couldn't help but chuckle slightly at the word 'ma'am' as it was used, the woman waving a hand dismissively.   
"Any time, my dear. Any time. I will say this though- at least Alastor has you. I understand your situation in New York, however at least when I am no longer around, he has you to ground him."  
Despite the rather dark connotations behind her words, Rosie laughed regardless, sipping at her tea again.   
"Now, I suggest you go and find that boy before he causes any damage to someone."

Anthony brought a hand up, running his fingers through his hair lightly.  
"I'm sure that you'll be around for a long while yet, so there ain't gunna be much of a need for me t' skip town and come here just yet."  
He said with a small smile as he finished his tea and readied himself to stand.  
He supposed he did have to go and look for his troublesome lover before he found bodies lying on the street. At least he had some direction with how to approach the situation.

Carefully picking up the teapot and pouring some more tea for herself, Rosie just gave Anthony a small smile paired with a nod, her attention quickly falling back down to her tea.   
"Yes... I'm sure."

The look that Rosie gave along with the statement made Anthony think that she had doubts about her life expectancy. He didn't know how old she was, but she looked more than fine.

Whatever turn their conversation could have taken from there though, it seemed the two of them would never know. The knock at the door broke the silence that followed, a small smirk rising to Rosie's face as she stood and made her way over to the door to open it. Just as expected- he was becoming dangerously too predictable for her these days. 

At the knock, Anthony's head turned, standing as Rosie did but trailed behind a bit considering she seemed to have it. That, and it might have seemed a bit odd if an unfamiliar man answered the door of a woman who lived alone.   
He was about to go sit back down when he heard the name.

"Alastor."   
Rosie nodded in acknowledgment, knowing that Anthony was standing close by.

The blonde felt his body tense a bit. He supposed this meant it was showtime.

Alastor didn't get too far with his thoughts earlier. His mind was too cluttered and even taking a walk didn't seem to help. Anthony was on his mind too much and truth be told, didn't know what to do. So, he decided to go to the only person who might have known what to do, even a little.

"Rosie."   
Alastor nodded back, stepping into the home, his usual smile not quite convincing. However, he paused.

Rosie raised her chin and stepped aside to let the man in.  
"I think I can take a guess as to why you're here."  
She smirked.

"You can?"   
There was a brief moment where Alastor brought his gaze off to the side, thinking about how Rosie would know. It was impossible, was it not? Not unless... someone had told her already, and that someone seemed to already be here, standing just off to the side of the woman.

"Ah, Anthony. You're... here?"

Rosie closed the door behind Alastor and excused herself to give them some privacy and to clear her throat without disrupting them, patting Anthony on the shoulder on her way past.

Alastor watched with mildly narrowed eyes as Rosie left them to a conversation, however, he also knew that she would be secretly listening in regardless. That was just something she did.

Anthony bit the inside of his cheek and gave a nod of appreciation before looking up at Alastor, waiting a few moments before speaking.  
"Hey, Al..."  
He said, not exactly sure where to start.   
"I ah... I didn't know who else t' go to for help, so I came here. I'm... glad you're alright."  
That seemed like a decent conversation starter. He really was glad that Alastor was okay and it didn't look like he had any blood on him. That was a good sign.

"Yes, I'm glad that you're alright too. I suppose I should be glad that you're here and not alone. I came here to initially speak with Rosie; however, I suppose it's better that you're here now."  
Alastor slowly nodded, looking towards the lounge door.  
"Would you mind if we took this elsewhere outside?"

Anthony licked his lips and inhaled.  
"I don't think there's anywhere safer than here for a discussion like this. I wanna get it outta the way now rather than wait half an hour t' get back t' your house."  
He explained.   
"I... hope ya understand my reasoning."  
He added, then looked off to the side for a moment in thought.   
"If ya want, I can step outside so you and Rosie can have a few minutes. I don't mind. Promise I won't run off."

Of course, Alastor understood where Anthony was coming from. Anywhere remote for their conversation to be held was twenty minutes away at most, and Alastor supposed neither of them wanted to wait that long now that they were here.   
Perhaps this time he wouldn't have Rosie to go to.   
"No, it's quite alright. I would like to discuss this with you now. I feel that it is important that we speak about what happened rather than keeping on putting it off."

Anthony nodded in agreement, deciding to bring his lover into the lounge considering Rosie had gone to the kitchen.  
"So, ah... y' wanna go first or d' ya want me to?"  
He asked as he sat down where he was before Alastor had shown up.

Taking a seat opposite the blonde, Alastor crossed a leg as he took a breath.   
"Perhaps I should let you speak first. I realize that you've probably had a more reasonable amount of time to think about the whole situation than I have."

Nodding, Anthony paused to figure out where to start. This was an adult conversation and an important one at that.  
"Alright. I guess t' start, I want ya t' know how much your actions t'day... hurt me."  
He began, trying to keep this as straightforward as possible and make sure he was taking Rosie's advice.

"It hurt me 'cause I felt like there ain't any trust. Y' know I ain't gunna go messin' around b'hind your back. If anyone ever tries anythin' on me, y' know I'm gunna flip 'em t' the ground and break their legs. Doesn't matter who it is."  
He took a breath, making sure to keep eye contact with his lover so he knew that he was telling the honest truth.

"With everythin' that happened this mornin' b'fore we left too, I don't see us as just a fling. I take us very seriously. You're the most important thing in my life. Even higher of a priority than my job. I wanna feel like you trust me just as much as I trust you. I want you t' know that I'd take ya up on your offer from this mornin' in a heartbeat if it was legal. I love you and _only_ you."  
Whether any of that made sense or not, Anthony wasn't sure, but that was all the honest truth.   
"If there's somethin' I can do t' make ya see that I really am serious, please tell me."

Alastor was deathly silent all throughout Anthony's explanation, and honestly? Alastor could feel his chest hurting as he listened, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach only getting worse the more he listened. Guilt. Anger at himself over the fact that _he_ had been the sole cause of Anthony's hurt. He'd hurt Anthony.

"The thing is, I _know_ you trust me; and I trust _you_ implicitly, Anthony. I know that you would never do such a thing, yet still, these petty jealousies bother me. I knew very well that Ciro was a married man with no ill intentions towards you, yet I still could not see past that. I don't know why that is, and I know that what I attempted to do to Ciro must have made me wrong, so... yes. I will admit to it. I was wrong. I'm sorry, Anthony. You already do so much that makes me see the love you have for me _every_ day that we're together. I know you're extremely serious about this, and I want you to know that I am too. I am deadly serious about all of this and everything that we are, my dear."

Closing his eyes when Alastor finished speaking, Anthony let a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth.  
After sitting in silence for a moment or two, the blonde stood and walked over to his lover, moving to stand in front of him.   
He still couldn't help but feel like he wasn't doing enough, but that's wasn't important right now. He was going to trust what Alastor said.

Cupping Alastor's cheeks, Anthony guided him to tilt his head back so they could keep their eye contact.  
"Y' got nothin' t' be jealous of. You're perfect."  
He said as he leaned down, placing a kiss to his lover's forehead.  
"You're wonderful."  
He added with another kiss, almost as if sealing the compliments and making them stick to his skin.  
"You're sweet."  
Sticking that to Alastor with another kiss.  
"You're handsome."  
And another, each kiss moving further down Alastor's face.  
"You're beautiful."  
Skipping the rest of the way, Anthony paused the flow of affection.  
"But most importantly, you're mine... and I'm yours."  
Finishing that statement, he kissed his lover's lips with nothing short of sweet sincerity. He meant every word.

Alastor had to admit, Anthony did come around a lot quicker than he had originally thought he would, but he certainly wasn't going to be complaining. Every sweet kiss of affection stuck with him as he felt his regular smile returning to a sincere degree upon his face. He wanted to kiss Anthony, he wanted to hug Anthony and never let go and tell him over and over again how much the blonde meant to him, but through no fault of his own, Alastor could not do so while under Rosie's roof. The affections on his part could hold off, he supposed. 

"I'm yours..."   
Alastor replied with a quiet, yet playful chuckle, taking Anthony's hand and leading him to sit down on the couch with him.

Anthony was still a little upset about their fallout, but he was glad that they managed to talk it out and more or less come to an understanding.   
Now he felt as though it was time to comfort Alastor and make sure he knew that he wasn't going to let this ruin them. Alastor admitted that he was wrong and that he was sorry, and he explained himself well enough for Anthony to be ready to move past it.

Sitting next to his lover, he sighed and intertwined their fingers.  
"I love you more than any argument. Don't matter who's right and who's wrong."  
The blonde said softly as he leaned into Alastor's shoulder.

Shuffling a little closer to Anthony, Alastor gave their hands a gentle squeeze from where their fingers intertwined.   
"I was wrong regardless, thinking I was right for all the wrong reasons."  
Alastor nodded, smiling.   
"I understand that arguments are inevitable in any relationship, but I won't let that get between anything that we have. I'm afraid I love you too much for that."

Anthony was about to respond but he heard Rosie coming back, so he sat up properly but kept holding Alastor's hand as she entered the lounge.

"Alastor, did you still wish to speak with me?"  
The woman asked, looking between the two men as if she hadn't just heard every word. It was clear she was trying to hold her smugness back.   
She always loved hearing Alastor admit that he was wrong. It was an extremely rare occasion.

Alastor deadpanned slightly as Rosie entered the room, acting nonchalant yet smug. He knew her too well.   
"No. I'm sure you already know that I don't need to speak with you anymore."   
He shook his head with an eye roll, looking back to Anthony now.   
"Well, if you would like to go, then I see no reason why we cannot head off now."

Rosie raised her shoulders in a very small shrug.  
"I wasn't sure if you had more things on your plate. I would like to speak with you, however. If you wouldn't mind me stealing your man for a few moments, Anthony."  
The woman chuckled softly.

Nodding, Anthony stood from his spot and let go of his lover's hand.  
"I'll wait outside for ya. Then we can head out when you're ready."  
He then turned to Rosie with a small smile.  
"Thanks for everythin'."  
He said as he excused himself and left through the front door to wait.

"Of course, Anthony. Anytime at all."  
Rosie replied with a nod and a polite smile.

As Anthony left to wait outside, Alastor looked to Rosie with a raised brow, waiting until he had heard the sound of the door closing before he spoke.   
"And what would you like to speak with me about?"   
He asked rather skeptically, unable to read Rosie at this moment.

Rosie's expression changed entirely, arms folding over her chest with a look in her eyes that could absolutely _murder_.  
"Don't you dare play dull-witted with me, young man. Did you use your head _at all?_ "  
She scolded in an even voice.

Alastor's eyes widened a little, the man clearing his throat at the sudden and quick change of tone. 

"Rosie, I-"   
Before he could continue, she continued on instead.

"The damage you could have caused today by killing this Ciro gent, Alastor. Think about it for even a moment and you might be able to see what I'm seeing if you happened to take that route."

"Rosie. It was a spur of the moment thing. It won't happen again as I've already told Anthony as I'm sure you overheard already."

"If you think for a moment that I'm going to let you off so easily, you're sadly mistaken. You _cannot_ let jealousy take hold of you so easily. It's absolutely pitiful."  
Rosie continued regardless of Alastor's attempts to defuse her frustrations.  
"Listen. To. Anthony. Italian men are extremely passionate people and those tangled in the web of business he is, they are loyal and committed on top of it all. He wouldn't lie to you, Alastor. If he says he loves you, you had better damn well believe it. You have nothing to be jealous of. Anyone would be quite lucky to have you as a partner. Now put your big boy pants on, go out there, and show him, _and me_ , that you have learned from your mistake."

She was quite out of breath after that little rant, stepping to the side so Alastor could get past, holding a hand to her chest.  
"So help me, regardless of where I happen to be or my state of health, if I catch wind of another incident like this or similar, I will find you and knock some sense into you."

Alastor couldn't help but hate it when Rosie got like this. Of course, she was always right and always had good reason to scold him, not that he would admit that to her, but still. It displeased him very much. 

"Hm. Yes."   
Alastor hummed, stepping past the woman and making his way for the door. He was quite sure that Anthony had heard all of that, so there was no point in hiding it.   
"Good day, Rosie."   
He replied simply.

Rosie stood taking a few deep breaths as she watched the man make his way over to the door, still quite winded. She would have gone into further detail and continued her scolding, but her lungs didn't seem to have it in them that day.  
"Good day, Alastor."  
She replied as he stepped out of the house.

Anthony stood out front, leaning against the wall just off to the side with a cigarette in between his lips. Hearing the door open, he looked over and gave a bit of a smile.  
"Good t' go?"  
He asked, removing his hands from his pockets and pushing off of the wall.

Silent as he stepped out, Alastor looked to Anthony briefly before he reached out and simply plucked the cigarette from Anthony's lips and took a long drag. Sighing deeply as he inhaled the smoke, Alastor then nonchalantly handed it back before he was on his way, presuming Anthony was on his trail.   
"Good to go." 

Anthony paused as he was momentarily robbed of his cigarette, watching as his lover took a drag and passed it back with furrowed brows. He looked at the cigarette for a moment and then scanned the area around them to make sure no one saw anything before putting it back between his lips and following behind.

"So, ah... got any ideas of what y' wanna do next then? I know ya didn't eat anythin' this mornin' b'fore we left, so you're probably hungry."  
The blonde finally spoke after a moment, implying that some food might be a good idea.

"Hm, what do you suppose takes your fancy? I'm not sure about you, but after skipping breakfast, I'm starved!"   
Alastor laughed, as they continued on down the street, the man looking beside him to Anthony now that he had caught up.   
"You know what, Anthony dearest? I know _just_ the place!"   
As he always did, of course.

In fact, the small restaurant Alastor led them to was yet another one of his favorites- he had quite a few. It was a quaint restaurant that served only the best Cajun food, something that Alastor felt like he had been craving that day, especially after not having eaten and the exhausting events of that entire day.

Anthony gave a bit of a smile, glad to see his lover more or less back to his usual self.   
"Sure, Smiles. That sounds real nice."  
He replied, his voice a little softer than usual but still sincere with his words. If he was being honest with himself, he really was quite tired. There was a lot that had happened since they'd woken up that morning and it all seemed to pile up on top of him now. Maybe a sustainable meal would be good for him despite his lack of appetite.

Once they arrived at the establishment, they were quickly brought to a table, Alastor being recognized due to his frequent visits to the place; and, as it always was, the food was absolutely divine. Anthony seemed to enjoy the abundance of flavors in the dishes, and overall, it was a very pleasant meal that ended all too soon. After footing the bill, convincing Anthony that it was part of his apology, Alastor and Anthony were soon taking their leave back out into the night, the moon shining high above in the sky above them.

Anthony certainly wasn't himself while they were at the restaurant; not as talkative, not as excited, not as hungry. When asked about it, he waved it off as being tired. He did make himself eat though since Alastor was paying, he didn't want him to be putting money down on food that was going to go to waste. 

Alastor wouldn't have been able to call himself observant whatsoever if he didn't notice that Anthony wasn't his usual self all throughout their meal. It wasn't a problem, of course, there was simply more time for Alastor to converse instead, but the brunette couldn't help but think their little fall out that afternoon had something to do with it. Perhaps Anthony truly was tired, as he said.

As they walked the streets, Anthony looked up at the moon with a small smile, then looked around to see how he was going to be able to word his next thoughts. There were still some people around, so he'd have to be vague.  
"Hey, Al? I'm gettin' kinda tired and got some things t' do at the hotel, so I think I'm gunna turn in for the night. I'll call ya when I get up t'morrow. Sound good?"

Anthony did have some things to do at the hotel, like properly bathe and shave, as well as check his sister's dresses to make sure they were up to code, and call home to report in. He also felt like some space between him and Alastor would maybe do them some good. They'd spent almost every minute together over the past week, after all.

"Hm?"   
Alastor hummed as they walked, the man stopping briefly to gather his thoughts.   
"Oh yes, of course."   
He quickly nodded, the two of them already on course for the hotel anyway.   
"It's not a problem, I can tell you sound tired. I'll walk you back to the lobby and I shall be off then."

Giving an appreciative nod and small dimple-hinted smile, Anthony started to walk alongside Alastor back to the hotel, flicking his cigarette away as they seemed to fall silent again; or perhaps Anthony's mind was too tired to process if Alastor was talking? He couldn't be sure.

Once outside of the hotel, Anthony turned to his lover and smiled a little more.   
"I'll call ya first thing in the mornin'."  
He said as he brought a hand out of his pocket to give the man's shoulder a pat.

Given that there were people around, Alastor very much appreciated the mere gesture of his shoulder being patted. It didn't seem like much, but he knew what it meant.   
"Goodnight Anthony. I shall see you tomorrow."   
With a small wave of his hand, smile grinning away, Alastor turned and began to walk down the sidewalk to the streetcar stop, his usual bounce in his step.

Watching him leave for a few moments, Anthony then turned and walked up to the hotel and inside, giving the receptionist a nod before going up to his room.  
Making sure to actually shut and lock the door behind him this time, he moved over to the packages that held the dresses and opened them up, pulling one dress out at a time to properly inspect them for any imperfections.

He only noted a few loose threads that he would have to have fixed up, considering he didn't have any mending skills or the tools on hand to do so. It wasn't that big of a deal. He'd go in tomorrow morning for that.  
Neatly folding the dresses again, he put them back in their packaging and moved over to the small table, emptying his pockets onto it. He'd already removed the stuffed bear the first time he was there that day, so he knew that was safe and sound in his luggage.

It was still rather early, only around eight-thirty, so he decided to take this time to give his sister a call while he knew she'd still be awake.  
Putting in the transfer request to the operator, Anthony leaned himself against the wall and waited.

"Ragnatela."  
His father answered, to no one's surprise.

"Hey pops, It's Tony. Just wonderin' if Maria's around? Got some news for her."  
Anthony stated, looking around the room a bit.

Henry could be heard giving a crackled sigh.  
"Just a minute. Don't keep 'er long."

"Yes, sir."  
Anthony nodded and kept quiet until his sister came to the phone.

Molly thankfully hadn't been busy doing anything when she heard her father calling for her, the unexpected call making her jump slightly.   
When she heard that Anthony was on the phone though, she'd never gotten up quicker, more than excited to be able to talk with her twin after not having done so in almost a week.

"Tony!"   
Molly cheered down the phone as she picked it up and took a perch on the desk in her father's office.   
"How ya doin'?"

Anthony chuckled lightly, not surprised by his sister's excitement.  
"Hey Molls, I'm doin' good. How 'bout you?"  
He figured he would be able to make it through the pleasantries before getting to the updates.

"Yeah yeah, I'm alright."   
She nodded, her smile of joy still wide on her face.   
"Not a lot goin' on today so I'm glad ya called. Are y' at Al's place right now?"   
As nice as it would have been for Anthony to just call her _because_ he simply felt like it, she also knew there was most likely a reason behind him calling.

"Oh, no, I'm actually callin' from the hotel. Al and I had a bit of an... altercation t'day, so I thought it'd be best t' give us a bitta space. Had a few things I wanted t' do here anyway."  
He explained with a small shrug of his shoulders.   
"Speakin' of which, your dresses are all made up. Gunna take 'em t' make sure a few loose threads are taken care of but other than that, they look real nice. Hopefully, you'll like 'em."

Molly paused slightly. Sure, Anthony had mentioned something about her dresses, and yes of course she was grateful, but there was something more important in those string of sentences Anthony had just thrown out there.   
"An altercation?"   
Molly repeated with a head tilt, frowning slightly now. It didn't take a genius to know that meant an argument of some sort, and she could only hope that it wasn't something too serious.

"What kinda altercation? Are... ya okay? Y' know I'll make Papa wait all night t' get this phone back if I have to."   
That wasn't exactly true, but at least the sentiment was there.

Anthony couldn't help the huff of a laugh, nodding his head.  
"Yes, I'm fine. Al's fine too. We went out t'day and we had a small misunderstanding. Everythin's fine after we had a chance t' talk it out."  
It was then that he remembered that someone could have been listening in, so he needed to make it sound like something men would have a disagreement over while telling the truth.  
"His gal was talkin' t' some other guy, just as friends would, and he got a little jealous. He went one way; she went the other and I had t' remind him that she was loyal to him and all this other stuff. He was a little irrational but everythin' turned out okay. I'll tell ya more about it when I get home."

Molly had to admit, she was momentarily confused when Anthony began talking about Alastor and some other gal but quickly caught on to the fact that someone could have been listening in to their conversation.   
"Oh, I see."   
She nodded, putting the pieces together in her mind.   
"Well, s' long as he didn't hurt his gal at all, then I guess I'm just glad they made up."

That probably wasn't the best way of explaining what happened but he went with whatever came off of the top of his head.   
"Anyway, I'll have some things t' show ya. A photograph included with Al in it so ya can see what he and his lady friend look like."

At the mention of a photograph though, Molly began to smile once more.   
"Really? I'd love t' see it when ya come back. And thank you, by the way, for the dresses. I'll make sure t' get all dolled up in them when y' come back with 'em."

Anthony's smile only grew at that.  
"I think you'll really like the blue one I got ya. It's got some nice lace over the skirt an' real pretty beadwork on the top. It'll compliment your hair nicely and I don't think pops will disapprove either. I'm sure as long as the measurements were done right, they'll keep ya well 'n covered."  
He knew she wouldn't care anyway. She'd get away with it one way or another.

Molly pressed her hands together in excitement, holding the phone between her shoulder and ear as she continued to speak.   
"Oh, I _can't_ wait to see it then! And let me tell ya, _everythin'_ looks better on me with my hair this short. I dunno why Papa made such a big fuss about it. But I think the dress will look just beautiful."

"I can't wait t' see it when I get back. I'm sure it's gorgeous. Anyway, how's you and your friend doin'? Stayin' outta trouble?"  
He had been curious to know what Molly and her friend had been up to if anything recently.

Molly grabbed the receiver again and spoke into it.   
"Savia and I? Yeah... we're good. She's _great_. She was busy today but promised we'd hang out tomorrow. It's real nice to have a friend around here."

Now he had a name. That was a nice little detail that he would have to keep a note of.  
"I'm real glad ya got a friend. One that dad likes too. I really can't wait t' meet her."  
If Molly liked her and wasn't going out and getting herself hurt, Anthony was certain he'd enjoy her company too.

Molly could only smile all the more, a slight feeling of giddiness welling up in her stomach. "Yeah... she's real great."  
She repeated again.

Anthony smiled a little more, glad to hear she had someone she actually liked and got along with while he was away.  
"Anyway, I gotta get cleaned up b'fore I hit the hay and it's an hour later for ya up there so you should do the same if ya got plans. Does dad wanna talk again or is he fine?"

"Oh, I'll ask him, but he was in a foul mood this mornin' so I doubt he'll wanna talk."   
She replied, slowly standing from the desk.   
"I'll say bye, Tony. I miss you, but I hope y' havin' fun."

"If he's in a mood, don't bother. I don't wanna make it worse or nothin'."  
He replied with a shake of his head.  
"Talk again soon. Gunna have lots t' tell ya later."  
He added as he looked at the clock in his room.  
"Bye, Molls."  
With that, he hung up and took a breath.

Now moving over to the bathroom, he started to undress for a shower, catching sight of the marks on his chest and shoulder that Alastor had left that very morning.   
They were by no means unwanted nor did they hurt, but they were definitely there.  
Running his fingers over them for a moment, Anthony gave a bit of a smile before turning to the bathtub and started running the water.  
While that warmed up, however, he looked in the mirror again from over his shoulder and looked at the scars that were there for a moment or two.   
He appreciated that Alastor didn't find them disgusting or disturbing.

Bringing a hand up and over the opposite shoulder, he ran his fingers over those too, feeling the raised skin under his fingertips; then trailed them over his shoulders, not feeling anything but seeing the freckles.   
It had been a while since he'd examined himself. This time was different because he could try to see everything in the same way that Alastor did.

Coming back to his immediate task, Anthony stepped into the shower.  
It didn't take him long to wash off; not bothering with shaving due to how tired he was. He could tell he was going to be ragged on to get a haircut when he got home, but that didn't matter much right now.

Drying off and getting dressed, Anthony then crawled into bed and turned the light out, hoping he would be able to get some sleep in the loneliness of his hotel room.


	55. Chapter 55

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Friday, August 10th, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

It was around one-thirty in the morning that the telephone in the Levesque household began to ring. Amélie had gone downstairs for a glass of water so she was already up and downstairs.   
Setting her glass down, she wrapped her robe tighter around her body as she made her way out to the hallway and picked up the receiver.

"Bonjour, Levesque."  
She answered, expecting it to be something regarding the mother and child she had been tending to the last few days but paused when she heard the voice on the other end.  
"Oh, I'm well thank you."  
She responded with a small smile, pausing again as the person on the other end continued.  
"I was a little restless is all, not to worry... yes, I can see if he's awake. Is everything alright, dear? ...Ah, yes, I understand. If you give me a moment, I'll go and see if he's awake... you're quite welcome."

Carefully setting the receiver down on the little table that accompanied the phone, Amélie made her way upstairs and to her son's bedroom.  
"Alastor, dear?"  
She said softly with a knock, unsure if Alastor was asleep or not.  
"There's a telephone call for you."

Alastor wasn't aware of the time when the quiet knock on the door sounded. He had been sitting at his desk for much of that evening, writing, so the time seemed to fly by. He wasn't tired- or at least, that was what he told himself. He'd more or less convinced himself that his incapability to sleep that evening was not because Anthony wasn't with him, but for some other reason that he hadn't quite thought of yet. 

Standing from his desk, Alastor looked to the clock in his room as he opened the door to his room and looked towards the stairs.  
"Do you know who it is? At this hour?"   
He asked as he began to make his way to the stairs. There was always the possibility that it was Anthony, but he was quite sure that the blonde had wanted to be alone that night. 

Amélie would have answered but her son had already made his way down, though she followed so that she could finish her water and then get back to bed.

Regardless, giving Amélie his thanks for letting him know, Alastor brought the receiver up to his ear and spoke.  
"Ah, bonjour? Qui est à l'appareil?"  
[Hello? Who is on the phone?]

There was a pause on the other end of the call before the crackling voice finally came through.  
"Hey, Al. Sorry if my buzz woke ya... I ah... I can't sleep and was wonderin' if maybe ya wanted t' meet me somewhere? If not, that's alright. I can wait 'till mornin'."  
Anthony's voice sounded tired even through the distortion of the phone.

At the voice of his lover, albeit crackled, Alastor's shoulders visibly relaxed as he nodded.   
"Oh, evening Anthony."   
He spoke softly now.   
"Yes, I am quite wide awake. I haven't slept yet. But yes, I wouldn't be opposed to meeting with you."   
A small smile settled on his face now.   
"Where would you perhaps like to meet? Nowhere is open I'm afraid, so we would have to settle for the outdoors."

Amélie shuffled past Alastor as he spoke on the phone, patting him lightly on the shoulder as a silent 'I'm going to bed, good night.' and then made her way back upstairs.

Alastor gave his mother a small wave as she walked up the stairs, his gaze then falling to the floor as Anthony continued on.

"Outside's fine. I think it's rainin' a little though. Not hard, and I don't think it's gunna last long either."  
The Italian replied.  
"Wanna say we meet at the tree?"  
He asked, knowing Alastor knew which tree he meant specifically.

"If you know the way there, then, by all means, my dear."   
Alastor nodded. Their tree wasn't too far from where Anthony was staying and if Alastor wanted to get there soon, he would have to be leaving about now. The last streetcar of the evening had most likely already stopped, so he'd have to walk.

Anthony could almost be heard nodding from the other end.  
"Yeah, I remember the way. I'll see ya soon, alright?"  
Of course, he didn't know the schedules, but even if he did, he wouldn't have minded waiting outside if Alastor was insistent on meeting after all. He could use the air anyway.

"Alright. I'll have to walk, but I shall make sure to walk fast. Be careful, Anthony. Goodbye."

Alastor knew that Anthony didn't really need to be told to be careful, he could certainly handle himself, but after the events of that day, he still couldn't help but have an ounce of worry. He was sure that Anthony knew the area well, but... just in case.

Putting the receiver back on the wall, Alastor quietly made his way back up to his room, making sure not to wake Amélie. Closing the door behind him, he brought his gaze over to the back wall of his room. From the dimmed yellow lamplight of a small candle lamp on his desk, the shadowed entity could be seen standing as it always did, smiling in Alastor's direction as he looked to it.   
"Now... I never did get to speak to you about it, but I would like a favor if you are willing."

Anthony said goodbye but hesitated in putting the receiver down, catching himself wanting to say 'I love you'.  
Inhaling slowly, he walked over to the window and looked out. It was still drizzling out, but that never hurt anyone.   
He wasn't able to sleep, as he told Amélie when she'd asked during their call.   
He knew it was because he was alone. If this was how it was now, he didn't want to imagine what it would be back home.

Anthony knew he had time before he had to leave, not having walked to Alastor's house before but he knew the route and knew it would take a little while, but as he concluded, the air would do him some good.

Fixing his shirt a bit and straightening himself out, Anthony grabbed his key, wallet, cigarette case, and lighter, stuffing them in his pocket before leaving his room and going out to the wet city street, starting to slowly make his way towards their tree in the gentle rain.

As he walked, he couldn't help but feel like he was being watched or even followed. With this feeling in mind, he made sure to keep his eyes and ears open, making it look like he was casually looking around the streets as he tried to figure out who or what was stalking him. He couldn't hear any footsteps, so maybe it was just someone watching him from their apartment window.  
Well, as he got closer to the tree, he ruled out that it couldn't have been that, still having that gut feeling. He obviously didn't let his guard down for a second, especially when he made it to the tree and leaned against its trunk, lighting a cigarette while he waited for either Alastor to arrive or for his stalker to make a move.

Alastor was still in presentable clothing, so he didn't have to change except to put on a jumper over his shirt, knowing that the weather would still be relatively humid, yet rainy at the same time. 

He set off not too long after grabbing his jacket and slipping his shoes on once outside.

This particular route to walk was usually quite a pleasant one, and apart from the mild rain, the night was nice.   
Whether Anthony had set off or not yet, Alastor didn't know. All he did know, was one thing. When Anthony got to the tree, he would not be alone.

It was just as Alastor made it out of the Bywater area that he was startled in his tracks. There was no one around him thankfully to see his stutter, but regardless, it alarmed him.   
A flash clouded his vision, and for a brief second, he could see Anthony. Not physically in front of him, but this perspective was uncannily similar to the one he had witnessed in his dream of Mr. Cormier. There was no doubt in his mind that he was seeing through the entity's eyes now.  
There, Anthony stood leaning against the trunk of their tree, smoking and looking over all quite alert. Perhaps he could sense the entity's presence.

And just like that, the flash of the image had gone, Alastor being pulled back to his view of the street. Onwards, he supposed. At least Anthony was safe, just as he'd asked the shadow to make sure of.

Hearing nothing but the faint pitter-patter of raindrops falling onto the leaves of the tree he stood under and onto the grassy ground below him, Anthony traced his finger over the carving that was naturally still in the bark.   
Despite his uneasy feeling, it was a beautiful night. It was calm and quiet with a steady ambiance.  
He was really starting to think that his gut was acting up because he was eager to return to Alastor's embrace, but he wasn't going to let his guard down.

Closing his eyes for a moment, the blonde started to take a drag of his cigarette but in the middle of it, the lit cherry on the end suddenly went out. Anthony opened his eyes and looked at the end of his gasper. Brows furrowing, he removed it from between his lips and inspected it quickly. The end wasn't wet, so a drop of water couldn't have fallen from above him and put it out.   
Finally exhaling the smoke, he went to grab his lighter again but stopped when he heard the snap of a twig sound from behind him.

Whipping himself around, Anthony's eyes scanned the area while making sure to keep his composure.  
"Hello?"  
He called out into the darkness.

Walking through the city at night was always a nice thing to do, Alastor found. Some of the sights were quite something else, especially with the occasional drunkard wandering about aimlessly despite the day of the week, or the police talking to troublesome teens, telling them to get back home. It was almost as entertaining as a picture show.

Despite the occasional flashes of Anthony at their tree, Alastor had no trouble getting to the meeting location within the hour; and when he did arrive, what a state Anthony was in indeed. On edge, terrified even.

Pushing his way through the trees and stepping out into the clearing, Alastor waved in Anthony's direction. The rain had stopped now, and the bright moon above lit his vision up.

As soon as he heard the sound of footsteps nearing and the rustling of leaves, Anthony looked in that direction, seeing a familiar tall and lanky form emerge into the light of the moon.  
Once he was certain it was Alastor, the blonde found himself sprinting in his lover's direction.  
He'd been on edge since his cigarette had gone out, which he tried to relight countless times, and the sound of the twig that broke.

Wrapping his arms around Alastor tightly as soon as he was within reach, Anthony buried himself into the man.  
"So glad t' see you..."  
He muttered.

Alastor was surprised when Anthony ran at him, but wrapped an arm around him regardless, stumbling back a few steps from the impact.   
"Everything alright?"   
He asked, slowly looking to the tree, seeing the faintest outline of a shadow.   
"I apologize I took so long, the streetcars, unfortunately, don't run at this time of night so I walked."

"It's alright. I'm alright. You're here now."  
The blonde breathed into Alastor's chest, taking in his lover's scent as much as he could before pulling away and looking up at him.  
Anthony didn't want him to worry, so he didn't bother telling him about what had happened.  
"You're sure I didn't wake ya? I couldn't sleep..."

Gently carding his fingers through Anthony's hair, Alastor smiled as he led him over to their tree now.   
"Oh no no, I haven't slept a wink yet. It's quite alright, my dear. You didn't wake me."   
He nodded, however, caught the shadow's eyes as they approached the trunk of the tree.  
"I told you to _watch_ him, not _terrify_ him. Useless thing."   
Alastor quietly scolded in the direction of the shadow once they were under the tree. Thanks to the cover of the leaves, the ground was more or less dry enough for them to sit down upon.

Anthony kept his eyes down on the ground as he was brought over but looked up at Alastor when he spoke, then looked at what it was he was talking to; seeing the shadow with the usual glowing red eyes and wide frightening grin.  
the Italian's eyes narrowed and a disapproving and peeved expression took over.  
"I shoulda known..."  
He sighed with a shake of his head before looking up at Alastor again, expression softening.

"Yes... it's rather mischievous tonight it seems."   
Alastor nodded, smiling gently back at Anthony before taking a seat down by the base of the trunk.   
"You say you couldn't sleep? I thought you were tired, my dear. You certainly sounded tired over the phone."

"I am, and I was... but even layin' there for about four hours in the dark with nothin' happenin', I couldn't. That bed's just too cold and empty."  
Anthony responded, remaining standing for a moment before deciding to sit as well, however, on Alastor's lap rather than beside him. Laying his head on his lover's shoulder, he sighed.  
"I'm gunna be a mess when I go back home..."

Alastor moved his legs a little so that Anthony could sit in his lap more comfortably, and he wrapped his arms around his love in return.   
"Stay warm, it's a bit colder tonight."   
He whispered gently. Alastor knew that compared to New York's cold, this was nothing, but still- the sentiment was there regardless.

"You're saying that you missed me for the few hours that you were alone?"   
Alastor then spoke, a small smirk rising to his face.   
"What _will_ you do when you go back home, hm?"

Anthony's brows furrowed, bringing a hand up to place a finger to Alastor's lips.  
"Hey... shh. We ain't thinkin' about that right now. I'll figure it out when I get there. Lemme enjoy the time we got."  
He sighed, finishing that with a kiss to the man's cheek, and lowered his hand again.  
"What're _you_ gunna do when I leave, huh? You sayin' y' ain't gunna miss me?"

Alastor chuckled at the question that was thrown his way, the man looking up to the branches and the leaves that hung down from them.   
"I know I will miss you dreadfully. Probably worse than the last time."   
He spoke with a sigh, letting his chin rest upon the top of Anthony's head.  
"Perhaps my unwillingness to sleep this evening was due to a lack of your presence."

Anthony closed his eyes as he nestled in closer.   
"I'd offer t' leave a shirt for ya, seein' as I'll be takin' one or two of yours, but the last one ya put on didn't exactly fit, so... I dunno what t' do for ya."  
He chuckled lightly at the memory of his lover wearing his shirt and ripping it with a tiny flex.  
"Glad I ain't the only one who'll be sufferin' though."  
He added.

"Yes... perhaps clothing on your part isn't exactly the best of ideas."   
Alastor chuckled again.   
"And I suppose it's already set in stone in your mind that you will be taking one or two of my shirts? They won't have my scent on forever, you know. What if I was to give you something... more memorable. More permanent."

Anthony did see Alastor's point with that. He raised a brow, however, and pulled away to look at him.  
"You're gunna shrink yourself down t' pocket size and come with me everywhere I go? That's a pretty good idea and I'm sure I could find a nice little box we could turn into a little house for ya."  
He smiled a little, joking and wishful thinking, of course. This certainly wasn't some kind of fairy tale. He then shook his head.  
"What're you _actually_ thinkin'?"

Shaking his head with a sigh, Alastor leaned his head back now against the bark of the tree trunk. As sweet as it would be if he could become pocket-sized, that would be hardly ideal for quite a few reasons.  
"I would like to give you something meaningful. Not just an item of clothing, or a photograph- as good as those things are. I have an idea, but with less than a week left of your stay, it would be difficult to say if I would be able to make it in time."

The blonde tilted his head slightly, trying to think of what it was that Alastor was offering.  
"Y' know I'm gunna treasure everythin' you give me, but ah... this wouldn't happen t' have somethin' t' do with that-... y' know what? Never mind that. I won't ask what it is. I'll see it when I get it."  
He said with a nod.  
"I'm gunna get somethin' for you too though. I dunno what yet, but I'll think of somethin'."

There was another brief silence before Alastor spoke again.   
"Just you being here is enough for me."   
He replied simply, bringing his gaze down to towards the ground now as he unwrapped one arm from around Anthony and reached up for the carving of their initials in the tree trunk, running his fingers across the grooves.   
"I also have this here to remind me of you."

Anthony felt his heart melt, the inner corners of his brows turning upwards and a soft smile came to his lips.   
"Al..."  
He sighed, bringing a hand up to cup his cheek. He didn't know what he was going to say after that exactly, so he exhaled and leaned into him.  
"I'm so sorry..."

As Anthony turned his head to cup his cheek, Alastor could almost feel his eyes stinging at not only the gesture but the words as well.   
"As you know, I have never been one to wear my emotions on my sleeve, but when you are around, that seems to be the only exception."

As he looked into his lover's eyes, he noticed them glisten more than usual in the moonlight. Anthony couldn't help but feel his eyes start to do the same.  
"If I knew this would be so hard for us, I woulda kicked myself and kept my distance... I don't want us t' hurt like this..."  
He sighed and shook his head.  
"I know it's too late to apologize for it, seein' as we're here now and neither of us is willin' t' let go, but I love you and I'm so happy t' be here with you. I know it ain't for eternity like we both want, but someday it will be, and I'm really lookin' forward to it..."  
He smiled a little, letting a single tear fall from his eye as he now used both hands to cup Alastor's cheeks.

Alastor had to chuckle, his gaze falling to the singular sad tear that fell from the corner of Anthony's deeply green iris.  
"It does hurt, I know, but after the wait again, it will be worth it. I _love_ you, Anthony. And nothing in this God damn world worth my time will change that. You only make my smile wider."

"You do have a beautiful smile."  
Anthony replied with a sniff as he wiped the tear away with his shoulder.  
"I love you so much, Al..."  
He sighed as he carefully brought their foreheads together.  
" _So much_."

With his forehead pressed against Anthony's, Alastor let his eyes close, his smile still so wide.   
"Please don't cry, my dear. "   
He hushed gently, leaning his chin up now to press a kiss to the center of Anthony's forehead.

"Sorry."  
The blonde whispered before huffing a small laugh. He really didn't mean to start the waterworks.  
"I just love you so much and I don't wanna leave again..."  
He sniffed and leaned away so he could look his lover in the eyes again. He'd never felt so passionately about anyone before.

Alastor nodded slowly, nothing but understanding on his face.   
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as they say, Anthony. We shall be fine in the end- I promise."   
He spoke gently, cupping Anthony's cheek with his left hand, thumb gently and affectionately rubbing over his cheek.

The blonde leaned into his lover's hand and closed his eyes.   
"I kinda wanna see if I can stay an extra day or two. I know I'd get in a lotta trouble if I missed the train..."  
He said softly, bringing his own hand up to rest over Alastor's.

"Well... there's always the possibility that you 'miss' the train and cannot book another ticket for two days after?"   
Alastor hummed with a grin, letting Anthony rest against his chest now, his hand still gently resting underneath Anthony's.   
"I'm sure if you explained that to your father, he'd have no choice but to understand."

"I leave Tuesday, Al... unless the trains suddenly stopped runnin' for some reason b'fore then and stay down for a few days, I don't think that'd work. It'd be a miracle."  
The blonde sighed, closing his eyes as he took in Alastor's scent from its source.   
"Only five days left of our taste of eternity t'gether..."

Simply holding Anthony now, Alastor slowly nodded once again.   
"Five days... let's make them count, my dear. An eternity sounds wonderful, it really does, but we must work with what we have if you are certain you cannot stay longer."

"I've been makin' sure t' remember every second. I think we should come up with a solid plan for each day we got left."  
The blonde stated, slowly opening his eyes again. He blinked and pulled away, focusing on something that caught his eye immediately.  
A smile started to pull at the corners of his mouth, dimples coming through.

"Al, look! The floating earth stars are here!"  
He said excitedly, putting a hand on Alastor's chest and patting to get his attention.  
Anthony hadn't seen the fireflies yet during this trip, thinking they were only around the bayou and Alastor's shed. They hadn't been out that way during the night.

Alastor felt his own smile growing even wider, expression softening as he looked at Anthony's awestruck expression upon seeing, what he called, 'floating earth stars'.  
"Yes, I see them."   
He chuckled, looking to the side and up, seeing a small cluster of glowing fireflies circling above them, flying in and out around the branches and leaves above.

Anthony's gaze moved to Alastor and then up at where he was looking.   
"As beautiful as I remember..."  
He hummed as a few of the little blinking lights came closer, one even hovering just over Anthony's forehead, earning a bigger smile and a small laugh.  
"Haha, hello again. Are you the one that kissed me last time?"

Alastor simply watched the flying lights as they hovered above, Anthony's dimples shining as bright as the creatures.   
"As sweet as that sounds, unfortunately, a firefly's life span is only around two years. The one that kissed you is most likely dead, my dear."

As soon as Anthony heard that, his eyes moved down from the little light and to Alastor, his smile falling too.  
"What...? Al, why'd ya tell me that?"  
He asked, looking up at the firefly again.  
"That's so sad..."  
He added as he brought a careful hand up, reaching for the tiny bug.

"Perhaps, but there are so many fireflies out there. Many more to marvel at."   
Alastor explained, watching Anthony's hand now as he reached up for the little light. The bug seemed to hover around in the air for a little while longer before it found a perch on the top of the Italian's hand.

Anthony brought his hand down again and looked at the little light on his hand that faded on and off.   
"I guess so. It's still kinda sad though."  
He replied softly as the bug moved around on his hand.  
"I'm gunna choose t' believe that it's the same one."

"Then by all means."   
Alastor trailed off with a chuckle.   
Now that he thought about it, it had been a while since he'd seen any fireflies himself. Whenever he was with Anthony though, it seemed the things almost gravitated towards them. He remembered the night on the bayou when Anthony had first seen the so-called 'stars'. That was years ago now, but it didn't feel like it. A lot had happened the year that they first met, and Alastor was still glad for every second of it.

Another thing that had come out of their first few weeks with each other, was the tree the two men were currently sat under. Or at least, they had claimed the tree as their own all that time ago.   
"I'm glad that our initials are still here."   
Alastor spoke softly, presuming that Anthony knew what he was talking about.   
"They'll be here for the eternity that we cannot."

Anthony looked at Alastor and then up at their initials with a small smile.   
"I wanted t' find a tree back home that I could visit as often as I wanted and carve into it, but it wouldn't've been the same."  
He said softly, eyes flicking back to the firefly as it took flight once again, lowering his hand before looking back up at the carving.

Watching as the bug flew away, Alastor nodded before bringing his attention now to the carving yet again. Glancing over his shoulder and up, Alastor silently observed the initials in the bark. It had been smoothed down a bit over the few years due to nature and weather, but it was still pretty much the same.   
However, as Alastor brought his gaze down a little further, he noticed a few faint scratch marks in the bark. They looked like they had been carved with a knife, and if Alastor was correct, this was their tree.   
"Vandals."   
He muttered.

Anthony's brows raised as he followed Alastor's gaze once again, seeing the marks in the bark. He hadn't noticed those before now.  
"Y' sure? Could be from an animal or somethin'."  
He said as he ran his fingers over them.

Alastor shook his head now, leaning in closer, eyes squinting so that he could get a better look.  
"It looks like they were done with purpose."   
He hummed, reaching out to run a finger over two of the marks. The bark beneath the pad of his finger was naturally rough, however there was something else. Alastor quickly brought his finger away, an eerie sense of unease washing over him.   
"I don't... I don't think it's good."   
He spoke carefully, brows knitting together.

Anthony tilted his head, looking between Alastor and the scratches.   
"Not good? How d' ya mean?"  
He asked, now looking down at his own fingers and rubbed them with his thumb a bit. He didn't really feel anything off about them.  
"Coulda just been some kids bein' kids."

Shaking his head now, Alastor leaned away slightly, running a thumb across the marks once more and getting the same feeling, however, this was paired with a chill.   
"No. It was the shadow."   
He quickly and rather confidently concluded, looking around himself now for any signs of those mischievous pools of faint red and a smile.   
"What are they for? What's their purpose?"   
There, of course, was always the possibility that the entity was simply messing with them, but Alastor had a feeling that wasn't the case.

Anthony started looking around as well. He was curious about the 'why' too.  
"Seems kinda... weird. Why would it waste its time with somethin' like scratchin' up a tree?"  
He asked, then huffed a small laugh, shaking his head.  
"Never mind, I guess it ain't got much else t' do aside from tormentin' me."

Sitting up a little better so that he could get a closer look at the scratches, he noticed that some were more apparent than others, the bark of the wood more indented. Some of the scores were significantly longer than others too, almost ruling out it being an animal's claws, since most times they were more or less evenly spaced. 

"That's what I'm wondering now too."   
Alastor trailed off, counting in his head just how many scores there were. Some were higher up on the trunk than others, and some were right at the base towards the ground, but in total...  
"Seventeen."

"Seventeen?"  
The blonde repeated.  
"I'd say maybe it's keepin' track of how many times we've said 'I love you', but I think we've said it more than that. Maybe there's more on the other side or further up?"  
He suggested as he started to stand, circling around the trunk of the tree once and then looking up into the leaves. Of course, seeing the shadow up there made him jump a little and let out a frustrated breath.  
"Son of a bitch- I swear I'm never gunna get used to it..." 

As Anthony stood, Alastor quickly did too, looking up at their tree with an expression that was nothing short of puzzled.  
"I want to contact it."   
Alastor spoke confidently once again as he circled the tree to where Anthony stood, looking up at the shadow that almost hung down above them, grinning away.   
"Whether that's today, or tomorrow, I don't know. I need to speak with it."

"Does that mean stabbin' yourself again?"  
Anthony asked softly, looking at Alastor with a look of mild concern.  
"About that, what am I supposed t' do if somethin' goes wrong? I guess I could run t' Rosie's, but that's pretty far from your spot..."

"Yes."   
Alastor replied simply, taking a seat again on the ground and reaching into his inner jacket pocket for a small leather-bound notebook and a pencil.   
"If something _does_ go wrong, I don't expect you to exactly _know_ if it has done so. But yes, if I am unresponsive for too long, then I would advise seeking Rosie."

"Why can't ya talk to it now? It's right there."  
Anthony sighed, looking at the shadow with narrowed eyes and then down at Alastor again.   
"I really don't like the idea of ya knifin' yourself just for that. Especially since you'll probably wanna talk to it while I'm back home too."

Beginning to write a few things down into the notebook, Alastor hummed at Anthony's question.  
"I could try, but the results would not be what I want. I know that it _likes_ when I contact it through blood, therefore is more complacent and willing to answer what I throw at it. Right here? I fear that it will only listen to favors, nothing more. As for my wounds? It's as you saw the last time. There's no long-lasting damage."

Anthony sighed and shook his head, putting his hands in his pockets.  
"I dunno, I still don't like it... scares me."  
He stated as he took another look around, seeing the fireflies still blinking around, then back up at the shadow with narrowed eyes.  
"Hurt _him_ , and I'm gunna hurt _you_. I dunno how, but I will."

Noting down a few more things, finally, Alastor put the pencil down with a sigh before turning to his lover.   
"I will do so now. I can't imagine that anyone would be passing by, but if they are, simply ward them off if you can."   
Alastor nodded, slowly standing before putting the pencil away in his pocket again, leaving his notebook out.   
"Rosie told me it would be wise to contact it, and I have every reason to do so. Please don't worry about me."   
It was inevitable that Anthony would worry for his safety, naturally, but at least there was that reassurance there.

First, Alastor pulled out the knife from his pocket and then proceeded to remove his jacket, letting it fall to the ground before he took a few steps forwards.

Anthony found himself looking at the man with a mix of confusion and worry, as expected.   
He wanted to oppose and tell him to do it another time, but he supposed getting it out of the way now was best, just so that they could hopefully go about their business without further interruptions. At least they were together while he was making the call.

"Alright..."  
Anthony finally sighed, removing his hands from his pockets and leaned down to pick Alastor's jacket up off of the ground, putting the notebook in one of the pockets as well.  
"Same thing as last time? No touchin', no talkin'?"  
He asked to clarify.

Alastor nodded as he took a few more steps back, eyeing the shadow that still hung from one of the branches of the tree, it just staring at him.   
"No touching, no talking, and no matter what happens do not disturb me. I'll be fine."   
He reassured with a nod, kneeling down on the grass now and taking a breath.   
It was a good thing he remembered the chant off by heart, not having brought his book with him.

Taking the knife from the ground, again without any sort of hesitation, Alastor struck the blade deep into his right palm, his expression not flinching at all as the blood rose to the surface and began to freely spill down to the ground below.

As the blood spilled, Alastor began to chant.

Anthony clenched his teeth and winced. Even though he knew what to expect and had some preparation, it still put him off.  
He gripped Alastor's jacket tightly and decided he would wrap it around himself. The comfort was needed when he wasn't able to do anything but watch the scene unfold. It wasn't very eventful for him, just watching Alastor bleeding and muttering. He also watched the shadow melt into itself and slink down towards the man like some sort of shadowed snake.

Just as it had been the last time, it started out with darkness. Whatever plane he had summoned the shadowed entity to, there was no doubt that in said darkness, it had the advantage.   
Standing, sitting, walking- they all felt the same here in this void, but it was at the strike of a match, a red flame lighting up in the distance, that the nightmare began.

Alastor presumed it to just be him at first, but the crackling that he'd originally just been hearing in his head soon exploded into a mess of fuzzy white noise around him in the darkness. It wasn't a sound he was too familiar with, but if he had to compare it to anything, it resembled the static that was left after ending a phone call, or after a gramophone's flat disk stopped playing. It drowned out any sort of coherent thoughts Alastor could have been having in that darkness, and it certainly distracted him.

"Show yourself!"   
He called out, attempting to walk forward towards the flame of red in the distance. Instead, an image flashed into his mind. Claws as sharp as knives pulling apart flesh, and oddly enough, what looked to be branches. Long mangled splinters of menacing darkness that cut through the air as they grew and twisted and contorted with an awful creaking sound, the splitting of unwilling wood.

Whether he feared it or not, Alastor's breathing was heavy now regardless. The creature of ungodly horrors, no longer an image, now sat physically in front of him, barely moving anything but its unhinged jaw that slowly opened and closed. A broken sound made up of all sorts of voices flooded his head now paired with the static. Like the switching channels of something, it spoke to him.

_"What do you mean? I'm_ ** _always here_** _."_   
It responded, its head with large eyes mere pools of black, tilting ever so slowly.

Alastor supposed this was the opportunity he'd been waiting for. The chance to have a proper conversation with this thing.   
"I want to ask you, if you're willing to an-"  
Before he could finish his sentence, the entity shushed him, cutting in.

_"I already know what you wish to know. Therefore, so do you."_

Alastor shook his head, eyes narrowing.   
"How do you mean?"

_"I_ **_am_ ** _you, Alastor. I know your anger, your contentment. I know your frustrations, your desires, hopes and_ **_fears_ ** _; I know your pleasure and I know your pain. I know your victims before you've even thought about killing them. I know you."_

What an interesting development indeed. Although, Alastor had a feeling that he really _did_ already know that by this point. Over the years, this thing really had become a part of him.

_"It's all in your head, Alastor."_   
It eerily taunted, voice cutting in and out, wavering in an unsettling manner.

"I _couldn't_ imagine such a thing. You lie."   
Alastor spat back with a shake of his head, clearly growing impatient as he took a step forwards in the dark. He felt cold.

There was a brief moment of silence as if the entity was finding the right voice to use, its channels changing again and again and again. Before it finally spoke.   
_"You are not easily fooled then, as I am aware. This is all very much real. It's as real as you are, it's as real as your foul and bad nature is."_

"As I'm sure you know, I cannot help my curiosities then. Mr. Cormier's untimely death. Was it you?"

Again, another silence before a laugh that was pure insanity cut through the air before completely stopping.   
_"I showed you his death to teach you a lesson. The process was far too slow, you were taking your time and it wasn't fulfilling enough for you. I was bored; therefore, you were bored. But the old fool killed_ ** _himself_** _the moment he opened his eyes and saw me. It was just as Anthony said. You ought to listen to your amour more often."_

Alastor was quite surprised at that, the cogs in his mind working away as he took everything the now physical entity was saying.   
"And... and the night I killed that drunkard for his remarks at the bar. Why did you briefly look like you do now? Horrifying. Not yourself. I haven't had the time to think about it, but it is something I must know."

Again, with the laugher before the unsettling cut off.   
_"You call me horrifying, but have you seen yourself? I am merely a reflection of you. What you see of me,_ ** _is_** _you."_

But before Alastor could reply to that, once more was the entity cutting in.   
_"All of these answers... I hope you know by now that they come for a price.... seventeen isn't a whole lot for someone who calls themselves a killer..."_  
And just like that, the being was beside him, right up against his ear, whispering far too close for comfort.   
_"Choose. Them. Wisely."_

Alastor was still from where he sat slumped over in reality, his palm bleeding profusely now. When he awoke with a loud gasp, his head loosely dropping backward, the wound did not close over even after he removed the knife.


	56. Chapter 56

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Friday, August 10th, 1923  
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Anthony simply stood and watched, his foot tapping anxiously on the ground as he watched the red seep from Alastor's palm and down onto the grass. He got more and more restless the longer Alastor stayed in this state of his.  
The blonde had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from speaking and held the jacket tightly around himself.

Much like the last time, everything was still and silent; even the fireflies had receded into hiding and the crickets ceasing their evening songs, leaving Anthony truly and utterly alone.

It was a good few minutes before Anthony jumped at the sound of his lover suddenly gasping, seeing that his hands were starting to tremble.

"A-Al...?"  
Anthony softly called, taking a very small step toward Alastor and leaned forward and to the side; however, he took a step back as he watched the shadow melt out from under the man and slink its way up into the tree again.

"Alastor?"  
He called a second time, assuming that he was finished... but why didn't he remove the knife yet? Why was he still bleeding?

Alastor's vision was blurry as he gasped for breath, his chest heaving away. He couldn't even hear Anthony as he called out to him, his loud pants for air and the remnants of static still filling his head.  
Falling backward against the grass, much like the last time, Alastor held his hand to his chest, pulling the knife out and tossing it to the side with discomfort. His head was spinning now, his palm still bleeding profusely, showing no signs of stopping.

"Oh my God-!"  
Anthony gasped as he ran towards Alastor. That was it. He didn't care if he was finished or not and he didn't care that he wasn't to step in. There was too much blood for him to ignore.  
Letting the jacket fall from his shoulders, he knelt to his lover and cupped his cheeks.

"Alastor, amo, what happened?"  
The blonde asked as he looked down at Alastor's hand.  
"Shit... alright, this is fine."  
He said, obviously trying to convince himself that that statement was true as well.  
Anthony looked around them for a moment before shaking his head, gripping the sleeve of his own shirt and pulling as hard as he could; ripping it at the seam at the shoulder and then off of his arm. He then took Alastor's hand and started to wrap it. It would have to do as a temporary bandage until they could tend to it properly.

"It ain't that bad. We gotta go see Rosie. She's closer."  
The Italian said as he tied the sleeve tightly.  
"C'mon, Smiles. We gotta move."

Alastor winced only a little as he was pulled up by his lover. He couldn't even feel the specific pain of his palm since right now, his entire body was in pain. His eyes were heavy and bloodshot, not to mention the dark circles that now hung under his eyes. It looked like he hadn't slept in a week.  
"Anthony..."  
Alastor breathed, reaching for his lover with his uninjured hand.

Rosie's sounded like a good idea if he was honest. It was most likely that she knew what to do.

Anthony was clearly more worried and frantic than the last time, swallowing that worry and fear as best as he could.  
"Yeah, I'm here. Don't worry. We gotta get 'cha t' stand-"  
He said as he leaned into Alastor's palm.  
"It's alright."  
He whispered, staying there for a moment to comfort both the brunette and himself. Pulling away afterward, he started to help his lover up.

Once he managed to get Alastor to his feet, Anthony grabbed the jacket and guided Alastor's arm to wrap over his shoulders.  
"Alright, big guy. We got places t' be and people t' see. Whether she's gunna be happy t' see ya like this on her front step, I ain't sure... we'll have t' find out."

Anthony was more or less able to hold him up, and Alastor luckily had the strength to help hold himself up too. Rosie's house wasn't too far away, and hopefully, no one would stop them, thinking Alastor was intoxicated.

The walk over to Rosie's home was more of a blur than anything, Alastor's head still spinning. He'd barely had a second to even think about the entity's final words before he was pulled from the darkness and thrust into the pain of living, but he would have time to think later. Things were said that he wouldn't forget.

As they stumbled up to Rosie's door, Anthony panted and looked at his lover, seeing how drained and pale he looked. He was at least glad that Alastor still had a pulse, was still breathing, and able to sort of hold himself up and walk.

"We made it, Al. Hold on a little longer for me, yeah?"  
The blonde was pretty tired from practically carrying his lover all that way, bringing his hand up from around Alastor, Anthony knocked on the door.

There were a few moments of silence before a light flicked on from inside and the door opened, Rosie wrapped in a robe answering with a small cough.  
"It's nearly three in t-"  
She stopped as soon as she saw the odd sight in front of her.  
"Get inside, both of you."  
She demanded.

Anthony didn't hesitate after that, bringing Alastor inside.  
"He tried talkin'... t' the shadow... I dunno what happened."  
He explained, looking at the man that was hunched over and leaning heavily on him.

"Alastor."  
The woman began as she closed the door behind them and moved to stand in front, crouching a bit and lifting Alastor's chin.  
"Alastor, can you explain to me what happened?"

Alastor was more or less almost unconscious by this point, yet he still made the effort to stay awake so that the weight of his entire body wasn't weighing down on Anthony.  
Despite Rosies questioning, Alastor could only nod, yet no words came out as a response.

Sure, Alastor had contacted the shadow before, however, never before had it taken this much out of him. Usually, for a few minutes would he be left heavily breathing, but this time was completely different. Not to mention, the blood loss was bad, drops of red dripping down his arm, and falling onto the wooden floor of Rosie's foyer.

"Alright."  
The woman sighed, taking Alastor's other arm and brought it over her shoulders to help Anthony.  
"Help me get him upstairs, I'll take it from there."

Anthony nodded, following Rosie's lead to the stairs and started going up slowly just so that Alastor would be able to keep up and going into a rather large bedroom near the back of the house. It looked as though it hadn't been used in quite some time though.

"Alright, lay him down and then I'll need you to stay by his side while I gather supplies."  
Rosie instructed as they brought the wounded man over to the bed, slowly and carefully laying him down. She then hurriedly left the room.

As soon as he was laid down on the bed, Alastor let out a breath of relief, no longer having to keep his weak body standing.

Anthony turned on the lamp on the bedside table so they'd be able to see what was happening.  
"It's okay now, Al."  
He said softly through his heavy breathing, cupping his lover's cheek and gently holding his uninjured hand.

A few seconds passed and Alastor managed a smile as he heard Anthony's voice close by followed by the warmth of a hand to his cheek. He knew he would be alright from here on out.

The blonde smiled softly as soon as he saw Alastor attempt to smile even through his exhaustion.  
"I'm gunna check your hand real quick, alright? Make sure y' didn't do anythin' irreversible."  
He said softly as he let go of his lover's good hand and carefully took the other, seeing that the fabric was heavily soaked with red; a worrying sign.  
Gently having Alastor open his hand from its closed fist, he carefully untied it and slowly removed the fabric, immediately seeing where the wound was.

"Okay..."  
He whispered as he turned Alastor's hand over to see the back. He gave a nod once he saw that the blade didn't go all the way through. He did a little more inspection, making sure no bones had been broken and no major veins were struck.  
Nodding once more, Anthony put the sleeve back onto the wound and kept some pressure on it.  
"You're gunna be alright."

Rosie made sure to be quick, knowing that the wound looked to be quite a nasty one, however it wasn't too bad thankfully. It would perhaps scar, but that was to be expected.  
With a small heap of items in his arms, Rosie walked back into the room and took perch on the edge of the bed beside Alastor.

"How long ago did this happen?"  
She asked calmly, laying everything out carefully, including a small bowl of boiled water that had a needle and a small pair of scissors in, being sterilized.

Quickly getting to work, Rosie gently removed the material that had been used as a tourniquet on Alastor's hand and placed it to the side. Upon inspection of the wound, she sighed.  
"I wanted to avoid suturing if I could, however, I don't think that's possible."

"About half an hour ago? Took us a while t' get here. I brought him as soon as I knew it was safe."  
Anthony explained. It didn't help that he had to duck into alleyways when he heard voices or saw approaching shadows on the way.  
"He went b'tween his second and third metacarpal and it didn't go completely through t' the other side. Don't think anythin' major was severed."  
He reported.

"Hm, yes."  
Rosie nodded, leaning in a little closer now that everything was exposed.  
"What was the fool doing by cutting that deep in the first place? Honestly."  
With a tut and a shake of her head, the woman stood up, grabbed a cloth, and dipped it in the water before ringing it out and moving back over to the wound. She was careful as she prepared and cleaned it, trying to wash away as much blood as she possibly could.

Once the still bleeding wound was as clean as it could be, Rosie grabbed the sterile needle as well as some thread she had brought up.  
"If he could self-inflict such a wound to his palm, then this won't hurt a bit for him."  
She spoke with a small eye roll, beginning to suture the wound, carefully threading the needle to close it up stitch by stitch- cutting the thread when necessary.

Anthony nodded and made sure to stay out of the way while keeping a close eye on Alastor, making sure he was calm and breathing at a semi-steady pace.  
He gently stroked Alastor's cheek while Rosie worked away, whispering sweet nothings to him for a minute or two before looking at the progress.  
"Anythin' else I can do?"

Rosie worked more or less silently, only overhearing the things that Anthony kept consistent in whispering to Alastor.  
"I think he'd appreciate perhaps a glass of water."  
She suggested as she threaded and cut the final stitch, placing the needle and scissors back to the side before grabbing a clean gauze and bandage to wrap the wound in.

Nodding, Anthony leaned forward and placed a kiss on Alastor's forehead.  
"I'll be back, amore."  
He said softly and then got up from his spot, briskly leaving the room and made his way back down the stairs, heading for the kitchen. He washed his hands off quickly, knowing that there was some blood on them. He didn't remember where the glasses were kept here, so he opened each cupboard in search until he found them. He quickly turned the cold water on and filled the glass, turned the tap off, and started making his way back up, making sure not to spill any water in the process.

"You'll have a lot of explaining to do when you wake up, Alastor."  
Rosie half scolded with a sigh as she finished wrapping the wound, everything clean now. From there, she began to gather everything up again, glad that the sheets on the bed hadn't gotten any blood on them. The same couldn't be said for her robe though.

When Anthony returned, Rosie caught his attention.  
"You say he attempted to talk to the shadow? Do you know if it harmed him anywhere else? Or is his hand the only wound?"  
She had a lot of questions, ones which she knew Alastor would be able to answer, but with the state he was in, there was no way.

Anthony shook his head.  
"No ma'am, I didn't think t' check anywhere else. I can look him over now if y' want me to."  
He replied, sitting back on the edge of the bed as he looked down at his lover and set the glass of water down on the nightstand, seeing that Alastor probably wasn't able to drink it just yet.

"Yes, if you wish to."  
She nodded, finishing gathering everything and making her way towards the door.  
"I won't be long. Keep an eye on him and call for me if anything happens."  
With that, Rosie left the room to both put everything away and change out of her blood-stained robe.

Anthony gave another nod and decided to remove his now ruined shirt and wrap himself up in his lover's jacket, hanging the ripped shirt on one of the bedposts for the time being before starting to gingerly look over Alastor's body; patting him down and checking under his clothes to the best of his ability.  
After finding nothing new without rolling Alastor over or disturbing him too much, the blonde signed and took the next few minutes to watch over the man, running his fingers through his hair and humming a soft tune.

Rosie returned just short of ten minutes later, however, she now had a book in hand. Setting the book down on the nightstand, she took a few moments to give Alastor a once over, her eyes honing in on the dark circles underneath Alastor's closed eyes. He hadn't had those earlier; that she was certain about.

"Anthony, I would like you to leave the room in a moment. I need absolute silence, focus, and concentration if I am to help any sort of injuries that we cannot physically see on him. I have a feeling that his shadowed friend took a lot out of him, and he needs to regain that strength once again. It won't take long, you're free to do as you please around the house in the meantime."

The Italian looked up at the woman and nodded.  
"Sure. I'll leave ya to that now."  
He said as he got up again after pressing one more kiss to Alastor's forehead.  
"Ti amo..."  
He whispered, heading for the door, making sure to close it behind him.

He wasn't sure how long he had to himself, so he figured he could take this time to see what the second floor of this house held. There were five doors in total, and he knew what was in one of them. So, to start, he moved across the way and quietly opened the door, looking inside.

This first room looked to be some sort of library, shelves upon shelves of books lining the walls with a singular chair and side table inside. With a nod, he moved to the next room.

This next one was quite small, items with sheets draped over them. Anthony stepped inside and crouched down, lifting one of the sheets to get a look at what was underneath.  
A beautiful still-life painting of a vase of flowers. This must have been Madeline's art room turned storage room.

Taking another look under another sheet, Anthony left that room and moved to the next, a large bedroom that was obviously Rosie's. He wouldn't enter, not wanting to intrude too much.

The final door led to the bathroom. Nothing extraordinary.

With that bit of exploration done, Anthony concluded that the room Alastor was staying in was once Madeline's, which made sense considering some of the decor.

Nodding to himself, the blonde went back downstairs and got a glass of water before going to the lounge. He was exhausted, having had such a long day followed by a restless evening that ended with carrying a one hundred and fifty-something pound, six-foot-two man through the streets.

Tapping his fingernail against the glass, Anthony sat quietly, staring blankly at the wall in front of him. It looked to be that the next day would be strictly resting for both of them.

It was almost half an hour later that Rosie began to make her way back down the stairs to where she presumed Anthony had been waiting. The book she'd had on her person was still left up in the room that Alastor was staying in.

"Anthony."  
Rosie called as she walked from the stairs into the lounge, standing in the doorway.

Anthony stood as soon as he heard his name, anxiously hoping that everything was alright. He didn't understand how any of this worked so he could only prepare for and prepare himself for the absolute worst.

"He should be fine by the morning. You're free to sit with him through the night or you may rest on the couch down here if you wish. I'm afraid I must retire for the night, but I assure you Alastor will be okay."

Once he was told that Alastor would be okay, his shoulders relaxed and he bowed his head.  
"Oh thank god..."  
He sighed, rubbing his face a bit.  
"Sorry for showin' up at an ungodly hour, Rosie... thank you for your help."  
He said softly as he started making his way over so they could head back up.

"Oh no, it's quite alright. I shall be speaking with Alastor about all of this tomorrow, so any reprimanding for _why_ he decided to do such a thing at this time of night will have to wait."  
She replied, Anthony behind her as she walked up the stairs and stopped outside the room that was formerly Madeline's.  
"Goodnight, Anthony. And it is as I said earlier. If anything happens, you need only call for me."  
And with that, Rosie left to retire to her room for the remainder of the night.

Nodding, Anthony thanked Rosie once more and bidding her goodnight before joining Alastor in the room. He removed Alastor's jacket from his body and set it on the chair in the corner, then moved to lay with the man.

Kissing Alastor's cheek, Anthony settled in close and closed his eyes, quickly letting the sweet embrace of restful sleep take him away for the night. It was long overdue and he was grateful it finally came.  
  


Everything after Alastor had stopped contact with the shadow from the last night was much of a blur to him now. That night he slept, he didn't dream of anything, his mind completely dark. However, hours later, a crack of sunlight graced his vision as he began to wake, pained eyes slowly opening as he finally was able to feel just how much his body ached.

Where _was_ he?

Eyes opening a little more, Alastor scanned around everything that he could see without moving his head and quickly determined that this was not his room, nor was it Anthony's hotel room. Managing to turn his head now, Alastor got a good look at just what room he was in and immediately his eyes widened.

"Madeline?!"  
He gasped, looking beside him in the bed, seeing the duvet thrown aside slightly. Someone had slept here with him? Clearly, for Alastor's tired and confused mind that was too much.

Scrambling to stand on legs that were much too wobbly for him to get good enough balance yet, somehow, he managed. His hand throbbed, of course. Looking down at the bandage there, Alastor remembered that now too.  
He remembered contacting the entity, speaking with it, and being thrown back to reality. From there, things were hazy- but he remembered Anthony's voice. But everything else? No.

He couldn't understand _what_ led him to be sleeping in Madeleine's room, and to be perfectly honest, that thought scared him.

Anthony had only gotten up to use the washroom and was gone for about three and a half minutes. It was almost seven o'clock in the morning, far too early for his liking considering the extremely late night they had.

Hearing the sudden noises from Madeline's room just as he was leaving the bathroom, the blonde dashed to his lover's aid.  
"Al? What's wrong?"  
Rushing to his side, Anthony started trying to guide him back to bed.  
"C'mon, y' can't be up yet. It's too early."

Alastor stood, dumbfounded, in the center of the room more than confused.  
The moment the door opened, he flinched slightly, however at the familiar sound of Anthony's voice, he calmed and let himself be guided back to the bed.  
"What..."  
He breathed out, still quite confused.  
Managing to lay himself back down again, he brought his gaze towards the window, seeing the early morning sun shining in.

"Just relax, amo. I had t' bring ya here after your hand didn't close up. Rosie took care of ya and now we're gunna spend the day resting."  
Anthony explained as he pulled the blanket back up over the man, then crawled back in on the other side.  
"It's alright."  
He said again with a small yawn, cuddling in close to him.

Looking down at his bandaged hand as Anthony said that, Alastor slowly nodded.  
"Alright..."  
He replied with a sigh, resting his head against Anthony now, appreciating the warmth he radiated.

"You should sleep. You're tired."  
Alastor spoke after a few moments, lifting his uninjured left hand and gently running his fingers through Anthony's soft hair.  
"I love you..."

Anthony was more or less awake now, but he was going to take advantage of any form of rest he'd be able to get.  
"Mmmm... love you."  
He hummed in response, placing a few small kisses on Alastor's collarbone.

Silence fell over them once more, Anthony with his eyes closed as he attempted to call for the sweet embrace of sleep again, but nothing seemed to come despite his levels of exhaustion. Three hours of sleep was hardly enough.

"How ya feelin'?"  
The blonde decided to ask once he accepted his fate.

There was another brief moment of silence before Alastor hummed in thought.  
"I feel exhausted. Not like I've ever felt before."  
He replied quietly, eyes closed.  
"My body aches, but it's not in pain like it was last night. I shall be fine soon, don't worry about me."  
Regardless, he knew that Anthony would be worrying about him anyway. However, knowing that he had to rest today, Alastor couldn't help but feel somewhat bad. A day wasted- a day taken away from their eternity because he had to rest.

"I always worry, amore."  
Anthony sighed with a small smile.  
"Be glad I do, 'cause if I didn't, that'd mean I didn't love you."  
He added, peppering a few more kisses to his lover's jaw with a small chuckle.  
"I love ya more than anythin', which means I worry about ya more than anythin'."

Laughing softly as a response to his lover's worry, Alastor cuddled closer to Anthony, smiling at the kisses to his jaw. He really did feel loved.  
"Well, that's awfully sweet of you, Anthony dearest. I love _you_ more than anything too. And I hope you know that. Thank you for helping me last night and bringing me here, I'm not quite sure what might've happened had you not been there."

Anthony opened his eyes and shifted so he could get a clear view of Alastor's face.  
"I hope y' know that if I find out y' tried talkin' t' that thing again, I'm gunna come back and kick the shit outta ya. Last night scared the hell outta me and I ain't gunna be happy if ya try it again without me here."  
He sighed.  
"I don't need ya dyin' on me. I don't wanna be alone again."

Alastor laughed a little more at that, finding the sentiment relatively sweet, despite Anthony's promise to kick him.  
"Well, wouldn't _that_ be a tactic to see you? No, but really my dear, I appreciate both the concern and the aid that you gave me last night. I can assure you; I'm not going anywhere. Not while we still have our eternity and more together to get through."

Anthony's eyes narrowed for a moment before cuddling back into his lover.  
"Better not."  
He paused, a thought coming to mind.  
"Oh, b'fore I forget, there's a couple things with the dresses I gotta get fixed. I'll probably take 'em a little later while ya rest some more just t' get 'em fixed up, then come back here."

Alastor raised a slight brow at that, letting out a yawn before he spoke.  
"Is there a problem with the dresses? If it's something small, perhaps you could talk to Rosie about it? She is quite skilled in sewing and making or patching up garments."  
He explained, tired eyes closing now.  
"It would save you the trouble of having to wait for the seamstress to fix them."

"Not a bad idea."  
Anthony sighed, letting himself relax again.  
"More sleep first."  
He said as he got as close as he possibly could, practically wrapping himself around Alastor in a warm and comfortable cuddle.

Alastor comfortably rested his arm over Anthony as the blonde cuddled in even closer, Alastor closing his eyes once again.  
"Yes... please try to sleep a little more."

Anthony smirked and rolled his eyes behind his closed eyelids, then let himself take a slow deep breath, letting sleep return if it chose to.

Unfortunately, that didn't last long as there was a knock on the door, Rosie opening the door and stepping in.  
"I heard the two of you were awake, s-"  
She paused and stepped back out.  
"Excuse me. I'll be downstairs making breakfast."

At the sound of the door opening and Rosie's voice pausing, Alastor only smiled, too tired to chuckle as she excused herself to go back downstairs again.

Anthony opened his eyes again but didn't say anything, unable to see the woman as his back was to her. Perhaps sleep would have to wait.

No more was said on either of their parts as they let the other rest. And as for Alastor? He was able to do so quite peacefully.  
They managed to lay together for about half an hour longer, Anthony becoming more restless by the minute once he came to terms that he wouldn't be going back to sleep.

Patting Alastor's chest, he started sitting up and yawned.  
"Alright... you stay here. I'm gunna be right back."  
He said softly, unsure if Alastor was still asleep or not.

Moving to the edge of the bed, he stood up and looked down at himself once he felt the air hit his bare torso.  
He then remembered that he ripped his shirt apart to temporarily bandage his lover the night before.  
"Shit..."  
He then grabbed Alastor's coat and threw it on. The looks he was going to get for this... however, he made sure to grab his ruined shirt anyways just so he could put it on and hide the missing sleeve under the coat.

When Anthony left Alastor, Alastor was more or less asleep. He was in the in-between state if you will. He heard Anthony leaving, however was too exhausted to raise his head and say goodbye- but he was sure that he understood.  
Hearing Anthony's footsteps get quieter and the sound of the bedroom door closing, Alastor relaxed against the pillow again with a sigh, bringing his uninjured hand up to his face.

Anthony then went down to find Rosie sitting in the lounge.  
"I'm gunna run t' the hotel real quick. Al said you'd be able t' help with a bitta sewing?"

Rosie looked up from her book and nodded with a small smile.  
"Of course. Breakfast is still waiting for you, so make sure you have it when you return."

Anthony replied with a nod, turning to the door and started putting his shirt on, and then the jacket again.

Rosie, of course, caught sight of the marks on the blonde's chest and shoulders, as well as his back as he went to the door, raising her chin slightly with narrowed eyes. A few questions and theories came to mind in regards to the scars but thought it best not to bring it up now. She had a task to get to after all.  
Closing her book, the woman stood and went upstairs to Madeline's room where she knew Alastor was still located.

Gently knocking, she entered and stood at the foot of the bed.  
"You are aware that I have many questions for you, and with Anthony gone, I'll be taking advantage of the privacy."

Managing to sit himself up, Alastor kept his injured hand close to him, not having had the chance to have a look at it himself yet.  
"Hm, did Anthony not tell you what happened?"  
Alastor asked with a slight head tilt, using his free hand to pat his messy hair down a little.  
"I contacted the shadowed entity, just as you had suggested I do many a time. There were a few mysteries that I simply had to have answers to."

"All he knew was that you did your blood ritual and when you finished, your wound didn't stop bleeding and you looked to be near death. You are _so lucky_ he was there with you, Alastor."  
Rosie said with a shake of her head.  
"Did the entity do something to you?"

Alastor hadn't even seen himself in a mirror since the incident, so if he looked sleep-deprived, then it was probably because he was just so. He wasn't aware of the extent of the dark circles underneath his eyes.  
"I am not quite sure why the wound did not close over like the last time, but no, I don't believe the entity did anything to me. The ritual simply drained me, that is all. All in all, I mostly got the answers I was looking for, and that is all that matters."

Rosie shifted to the edge of her seat now, extremely curious.  
"What did you ask? What did it say?"  
She asked. With Alastor now safe and patched up, she supposed there was no point in dwelling. There were more interesting topics at hand now. She'd get to scolding later.

Alastor smirked a little, witnessing Rosie's clear eagerness to know more.  
"For starters, it spoke to me properly this time. Full sentences. It seemed to be in its full and true form... and, well, it's not pretty by any means, I will say that."  
He began, eyes narrowing as the clear image of the entity popped into his mind, menacing teeth, claws and all.  
"Anthony was right about what happened with Mr. Cormier. It was just as he theorized."

"Hold on, you say you _saw_ it? It was more than just a shadow?"  
She questioned. While it was interesting to know that the old man was really just as weak as he was, the fact that the entity had its own form was a more important topic.

Alastor raised a brow followed by a slow nod.  
"It was quite horrific; however, I will admit that its form is familiar. I saw it once before."  
He explained.

"Yes, I would very much like to see what you saw. Perhaps Anthony could help you with that. Though, do you know what it is yet? I don't think it's a shadow at all. It certainly can't be a loa. I think it might be a Djab, Alastor."  
Rosie was running through the catalogs of her mind to try and piece together everything that was being said to her. She'd been working on this puzzle for quite some time, but she didn't have nearly enough information and she wanted to see if Alastor would work it out himself; even though she knew he wouldn't. He never did.

That possibility had crossed his mind in the past, and given everything that had been happening- it was a very strong possibility that this shadowed entity was a Djab; and that was certainly a very dangerous thing to be dealing with, he knew.

"There is... something else."  
He continued on, looking across at Rosie, seeing her brilliant mind at work.  
"It says it is a reflection of _me_. It says it _is_ me. Yet that is not something I can quite get my head around."  
Alastor shook his head, knowing that revelation was quite shocking to him, but at the same time, he felt as if he already knew.

The woman fell silent for a moment.  
"A reflection of you... _is_ you..."  
She repeated to herself. That was going to need some time to simmer if she was to decipher it.

Clearing her throat, she stood.  
"Excuse me for a moment."  
Rosie said as she left the room, coming back a few moments later with some paper and a pencil.  
"Here. It's a good thing you're not right-handed. It seems this will be something you and Anthony will have in common."  
She said as she sat back down, setting the items on Alastor's lap.  
"See if you can draw it."

Sitting himself up a little more and taking a swig of the glass of water that was on the nightstand, Alastor cleared his throat once Rosie came back into the room, pencil and paper in hand. He doubted that he'd be able to draw the thing very well, but perhaps he could get the general idea down on paper.  
"Well, I shall certainly try, but you know I am not as artistically inclined like Anthony is, so I make no promises."  
He nodded, taking a moment to think before he began to roughly sketch out his creature of nightmares.  
A few minutes passed before Alastor handed the paper over to Rosie, a relatively good rendition of the creature staring back at Rosie.

Rosie watched silently and when she was handed the paper, she tilted her head to the side. She could see that the entity had extremely sharp teeth, perhaps tall and stick-like, maybe some sharp claws, what looked to be antlers of some kind, and either black holes for eyes or the eyes themselves were just black.  
Then again, as mentioned before, Alastor was no artist, so this could have been very far off from what he had actually seen.

"Right."  
She nodded once.  
"Perhaps we can see what Anthony can come up with when he comes back?"  
She suggested, not quite sure if she could actually trust this portrait, however, it did seem like quite the horrifying creature regardless.

Alastor frowned a little at the woman's skepticism over his drawing, the man leaning over to point at it.  
"As I said, I'm not the best artist, but I think that's quite accurate as to what I saw. You can trust it just fine."  
He nodded with a grin, placing the pencil off to the side on the nightstand.  
"There is another thing I wish to run by you though, something that I only learned of yesterday."

Rosie nodded, setting the paper aside with the pencil. It wasn't that she didn't trust it, Alastor very well knew what he had seen and if that was it, she had no reason not to believe him.  
"By all means, dear. What is it?"  
She asked, folding her hands on her lap.

"I told you a while back, but I'm sure you're aware of mine and Anthony's tree that we rightfully own?"  
He began, completely serious, of course.  
"And whether you knew this or not, he and I were there last night. That is where this all took place after all. However, there was something that prompted me to want to summon and talk to the entity right then and there. Something that we found on our tree."

Rosie was indeed familiar with their tree, even gone to see it for herself once or twice. Of course, she wasn't going to pay that rather large sum of money for it.  
Nodding, she urged him to continue. She hated when Alastor would pause like that. To anyone else, they might have thought that he was just making sure that she was listening and paying attention, but he must have known it got on her nerves because he knew she was always listening and retaining the information.  
"Continue."

Alastor's smirk grew a little as he paused, sensing Rosie's rising tension to hear this story he had to tell.  
"At first, I thought they were simply carvings from vandals perhaps, and Anthony theorized them to be animal claws, but they were no such thing. Tiny scores were etched into the wood of the trunk all around the base of it- seventeen in total. When I touched one, I knew it wasn't right. I knew it had something to do with the entity, and when I contacted it, it confirmed my suspicions. Ever since I first summoned it by that tree two years ago... I think my kill count may have gone up by seventeen. And if I am correct, then the entity uses that number, and that is how many 'favors' if you will, it offers me."  
Of course, there was the possibility that those numbers meant absolutely nothing and Alastor was just playing a guessing game. He wasn't certain how many people had fallen victim to him in the last two years, but he could say for sure it must have been close to seventeen.

Rosie slowly nodded along.  
"That does sound like something a Djab would do..."

She was well-read when it came to these sorts of things, having been taught and then put everything into her own notebooks that only she had copies of. While she wasn't nearly active enough to call herself a practitioner, she did know her way around.  
She did know that a Djab was something like a spirit for hire, independent contractors that one would be able to pay or bribe to do tasks for.  
They were mischievous little workers, aggressive at times, and able to do quite a bit of harm, and they made up their own rules that they could mend and twist as they please.

One thing Rosie was certain of, this one, in particular, had chosen the very spot it had been summoned to keep track of how many favors it was able to perform, and perhaps it had another spot to keep track of how many it had already done.  
This had to be a Djab. She didn't know what else it could possibly be.

"Do keep an eye on that tree. Make sure you're keeping track of your activity from now on as well."  
She nodded.  
"Did it say anything else to you?"

"The last thing it told me was to 'choose them wisely'. Now, I'm not certain whether it meant my victims or my 'favors' per se. Or both. But you're right, I will be keeping a close eye on both the tree and this supposed Djab- if it is one of course. I am still confused as to why it says it is me, but perhaps my answer to that will come in time. I don't see how I could be such a thing."

"That's something I'm unsure of as well. A riddle of some kind, clearly. Unless it isn't... then I'm afraid I'm at a loss."  
Rosie replied with a small sigh and a shake of her head, glancing at the picture Alastor had just drawn.  
"Keep me informed about anything you come across or piece together."  
She said as she stood from her seat.  
"I'll bring up your breakfast and check your hand whilst you eat."

Alastor nodded and paused a moment as Rosie stood and made her way to the door.  
"Thank you, Rosie."  
He called out to her with a smile as he laid himself back down again. Hopefully, if he rested enough today, then he'd be back on his feet again for tomorrow to spend the day properly out with Anthony just as planned.

She was quick in retrieving Alastor's breakfast, bringing it up along with a fresher glass of water. She gave him the plate and replaced the glass before going to get new dressings.  
Just as she returned, the front door was heard opening and closing again, followed by the sound of steps moving up towards them, Anthony entering with a few heaves of breath.

Alastor was just taking the first bite of his breakfast when he heard the footsteps up the stairs followed by the out of breath voice if his lover.

"Goodness, boy. Did you run both ways?"  
Rosie asked with a small chuckle and as she started unwrapping Alastor's hand.

"Yeah... didn't wanna be out too long..."  
The blonde replied with a final huff before joining Alastor on the bed. He managed to bathe quickly, shave and get a new shirt, bringing the dresses along with him, setting those down beside him.

"Anthony, you didn't have to rush back."  
Alastor spoke, wincing only slightly as Rosie unwrapped the bandage on his hand.

As Anthony got closer, Alastor could see that he'd freshened up slightly, shaved, and had put on a new shirt too. Bringing a hand up to his own face, Alastor cringed slightly. He'd need to shave too at some point today.  
"I see you brought the dresses back. What did you say was wrong with them?"

Anthony nodded a bit and simply patted the package.  
"Just some loose threads. I didn't wanna pull 'em and have it all fall apart, that's all."  
He explained as he watched Rosie redress Alastor's wound for a moment and then looked at Alastor.  
"Y' want some help with that t'day?"  
He asked, gesturing to the light bit of scruff on his lover's chin.

Alastor nodded as he looked towards the package of the dresses. If it was just loose threads then he was sure that Rosie could certainly help with such a thing.  
When Anthony mentioned his chin, Alastor again nodded.  
"Yes, I think that would be wise. Who knows how many cuts I would get if I tried to shave one-handedly, haha!"  
He laughed, taking another bite of the breakfast.  
"Have you eaten yet, Anthony?"

Anthony shook his head, having forgotten all about the food Rosie said she made for him.

"I'm almost finished. I'll go and get that for you in a few moments and then you can show me what you'd like done to the dresses."  
Rosie nodded.

"Oh, thanks."  
Anthony smiled a bit with a nod, grabbing the package and starting to open it up just so he could look for the minor flaws so she'd be able to see what he meant as soon as she returned.

Patting rebandaged Alastor's hand, Rosie stood and walked out of the room again.

"So, ah... y' wanna talk about what happened last night?"  
Anthony asked once he heard the woman descend the stairs.

Alastor took another bite before sighing with a nod. He hoped that Anthony wouldn't be too worried over what he had to say.  
"Yes... I suppose that would be ideal. But don't worry about what I tell you, yes? I'm fine, I promise."  
Looking across into Anthony's eyes, Alastor's expression softened.

The blonde tilted his head slightly, shaking his head a bit.  
"Y' know I'm always gunna worry. I don't care how confident you are with anythin' y' do. Could be somethin' as simple as spreadin' butter on bread. I'm still gunna worry."  
He responded softly, placing a hand on Alastor's arm gently.

Alastor couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his throat at that, his gaze moving down to the hand on his arm.  
"You'll be terrified to know that I am a killer then, Anthony dearest."  
He continued to laugh, placing his left hand on top of Anthony's.

The blonde shrugged and smiled ever so slightly.  
"That makes me worry more, yeah."  
He sighed, that tiny smile falling again.  
"If I asked ya to... wouldja stop?"  
He asked softly.

Considering how Alastor reacted to Ciro, an innocent man, there was the chance that he had other innocent victims. Murder in his line of work wasn't something they did unless they absolutely had to. It wasn't taken lightly either. Accidents would happen, sure, but that wasn't what this was about.

Alastor took a long breath, his eyes widening in the slightest at what Anthony was theoretically asking him. There was a long pause, Alastor deep in thought before he brought his gaze back up to his lover and looked straight into his eyes.  
"No... I don't think I could."  
He stated slowly, almost afraid of what Anthony would reply, but there was no use in lying here. Alastor had no intention to stop.

Anthony bit the inside of his cheek, his eyes slowly lowering with a slow nod. He should have expected such an answer, so he supposed he wasn't entirely surprised by it.  
"I-"  
Just before he could properly answer, he could hear Rosie's steps making their way back up. This wasn't a conversation he wanted to have her present for if it was going to be extended; thus, he closed his lips with one final nod.

Rosie stepped into the room again and smiled, handing Anthony his plate of breakfast.  
"There you are, dear. Now, show me what it is with these dresses."

When Rosie suddenly appeared, Alastor cleared his throat and continued on eating his breakfast. He too didn't want the woman listening in on this sort of conversation with Anthony, so for now it was best to leave it.

The blonde took the plate with a nod of thanks and set the plate down on the nightstand just to make sure it wouldn't accidentally spill over before taking one of the dresses.  
"Right. Just here on this one. The others have a few too."  
He said as he found the hem with the loose bits.

"I'll just take all of them and give them a good once over, see if I can spot any other flaws and fix them up."  
The woman replied with a nod, carefully taking all three dresses and their packaging.  
"Eat your food and if you're up for it, come and join me down in the lounge."

"Sure thing. Thanks again, Rosie."  
Anthony replied, sitting back down on the edge of the bed, picking up his plate as she left the room again.

Once Rosie had gathered the dresses and left the room again, Alastor grabbed his glass of water and took a sip before looking over to Anthony now with a small smile.

Anthony kept his eyes down on his plate as he prepared a forkful of food, looking up at Alastor when he felt his eyes on him, pausing.  
"What 'cha lookin' at me like that for?"  
He asked with a small chuckle, then finally took the bite.

Alastor just looked away with a chuckle, focusing back on his breakfast again.  
"It's called admiration, my darling."  
He laughed, taking his final forkful of food, the plate of wonderful breakfast now clean.

Anthony felt a smile pull at the corners of his mouth as he shook his head.  
"Well, I guess ya can keep goin' if y' want."  
He shrugged, liking the way Alastor would look at him when they were alone. It always brought him a sense of warmth and made him feel desired and adored. He loved it, to be quite honest.

Placing the plate off to the side on the nightstand, Alastor took one more sip of water before he laid back down again, looking over at Anthony the same way he had been.  
"Perhaps I will take you up on that offer then."  
He chuckled.

Exhaling as he felt his cheeks warm up, Anthony looked down at his plate again. His smile started to grow even as he tried to fight it, eyes flicking to look at his lover every few seconds just to see him _actually_ looking at him in the way he found so wonderful.

"Keep starin' and I might do a backflip."  
He said between bites of food.

Laughing a little more, Alastor shook his head, eyes closing now as he draped his arm across his eyes.  
"Alright, I'm no longer staring at you. But the backflip does sound quite interesting, I will say."

"I can try t' do a backflip if y' want me to."  
Anthony shrugged.  
"Can't promise I'll succeed or make it out in one piece, but I can still try."

Lifting his arm from his face now, Alastor nodded as he watched his lover.  
"By all means, go ahead. However, it's you who'll have the pleasure of being scolded by Rosie downstairs if you break the ceiling."

The blonde was about to make a quip, but Alastor had a point and he really didn't want to get on that woman's bad side.  
"Maybe I'll wait 'til we're outside. Who doesn't love a good dose of public humiliation?"  
He laughed a bit, having another bite.

Nodding at that, Alastor relaxed again against the bed.  
"I think I should try getting up in a moment. I don't quite like sitting around doing nothing."  
He then spoke, also wanting to use the washroom to freshen himself up a bit.

Anthony nodded with a bit of a smile.  
"I'll finish this up, then I'll help ya with that."


	57. Chapter 57

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~3 birthdays this weekend! Kalte (the writer for Alastor and a few other characters) included!~

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Friday, August 10th, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

There luckily wasn't too much of a struggle to get Alastor to the bathroom, the man more or less being able to walk on his own.

After taking the dishes back downstairs to the kitchen, Anthony helped Alastor get there.  
"Alright, I'm gunna apologize right here and now just in case. I've never helped anyone else shave before so if your head comes off in the process, I'm sorry."

Sitting perched on the edge of the bathtub now, Alastor smiled.   
"Oh, it's quite alright. I'd rather you tried than I be unpresentable as I am right now."   
He replied with a small chuckle, feeling his face again.

Anthony smiled and cupped Alastor's cheek, feeling the roughness that his stubble brought.  
"You're still as handsome as ever."  
He hummed as he leaned in, placing a quick kiss to his lover's lips, then opened the shaving kit that Rosie luckily had stored away from when she first taught Alastor how to shave and started setting the razor up.  
"So, ah... anythin' y' wanna do t'day? I know ya probably wanna get home sometime."

Sweetly kissing Anthony back with a grin, Alastor hummed in thought for a moment.   
"Yes, I would like to do something today, I wouldn't want to be wasting some of your last days here. I know Mama will probably be wondering where I've got to by this evening, but we have much of the day still."

Anthony shrugged, setting the razor aside for a moment as he got the shaving cream and facial soap stick out.  
"As long as we're together, I ain't gunna think a second's been wasted. Even if we spent the entire day in bed."  
Stepping closer, with the little bowl of shaving cream and the brush, Anthony guided Alastor's head to tilt back, then started lathering the soap on his face and under his chin, then a layer of the shaving cream in circular motions immediately after.  
"We also gotta go back t' the carnival t'morrow and pick up our photographs."  
He said almost absent-mindedly.

Alastor helped hold his chin up as Anthony applied the shaving cream to his face, the man nodding in response to Anthony's words about the dresses.   
"Yes, we'll have plenty of time to pick up those photos, watch the circus and hopefully see the fireworks."

Anthony's brow raised at the sound of that last thing listed, setting the brush and bowl down beside the sink, then grabbed the razor.  
"Fireworks, huh? Those sound like a lotta fun."  
He commented as he tilted his head to the side and made sure he had everything properly aligned before making the first stroke, going with the gain first.

"Yes, fireworks are awfully beautiful, especially the carnival ones in the night."   
Alastor smiled, keeping himself still as Anthony got to work.

"Hey, y' want a haircut while we're at it?"  
The Italian asked, teasing, of course.

Alastor frowned.   
"Haha! Absolutely not. I quite like the length that it is, as I told you before. _Despite_ Mama's opinion."

"I know, I'm pullin' your leg. I like your hair as it is."  
Anthony couldn't help but chuckle while keeping his focus, turning the blade to the other side, making a few strokes, and then rinsed it off in the sink.

A small smirk pulled at Alastor's lips at that as he cast his gaze downwards without moving his head.   
"No, you're not."   
He started, grin growing a little more.   
"Why your hand isn't anywhere near my leg, so how could you be pulling it?"

"Y' know..."  
The blonde sighed, finishing off another stroke.  
"Back home, any smartass comments like that and you'd get cut. Especially when y' ain't the one with the blade. Lucky we ain't there, huh?"

That grin simply stayed put where it was upon Alastor's face.   
"Well then, it certainly sounds to me that the people you know back home need to lighten up a little. There's nothing quite like an entertaining joke or comment, haha."

Anthony let the corners of his mouth turn upwards.  
"You're damn right about that. 'Course, there ain't no one like you anywhere, so even if they did, it wouldn't be the same. I'd still cut 'em."  
He said as he continued helping his lover, rinsing the razor off as he went.

Chuckling as much as he dared, Anthony running the razor under his chin now, close to his throat, Alastor hummed in thought again.   
"Your sister seems quite cheerful, judging from all the exclamations she puts in her letters and her voice over the phone the other day. At least it's not all doom and gloom, hm?"

Anthony's smile became soft and gentle as Molly came up in conversation.  
"Yeah. She's the only bitta sunshine we got up in that place. Could be the sunniest day and it'd still be dull if she wasn't there. She's the only one who makes things... bearable."  
He said softly, turning to rinse the razor once more before finishing off the underside of Alastor's chin, then moved to his upper lip, giving that a quick touch up.

"Well, at least that's something."   
Alastor's own smile softened now from mischievous to something a little calmer. He understood the situation with Anthony's home life, and as Molly had explained to him in letters before, the seriousness of everything often got to Anthony, even if he didn't say so. Alastor was glad that Molly was there for Anthony to make things bearable.

Anthony gave a bit of a nod as he finished up, carefully running his fingers over Alastor's cheeks and chin with a tilt of his head to see if he could feel any missed spots.   
Grabbing the facial soap from the kit, he wet it and then started running it over his lover's face before adding another layer of the shaving cream. For the closest shave, he was taught to go with the grain first and then finish off by going against.

Simply relaxing as Anthony shaved him, the two of them grew silent for a few moments while Anthony focused. However, it wasn't long before Alastor spoke up again.   
"Have you read the paper this morning by chance?"   
He asked casually.

Anthony's brows raised in acknowledgment before pausing.  
"No, not yet. Why?"  
Now he was a little worried. Did Alastor do something yesterday that would have been in the paper? Did it have to do with their circus friends?

Alastor shrugged slightly in response, hearing the worry in Anthony's tone.   
"Oh, I simply like to keep informed on things that are happening, that is all. Perhaps Rosie has this morning's paper downstairs."   
He replied, nothing suspicious about his words.

The blonde gave one final nod and half of a smile before he went back to finishing the job, rinsing the razor off once more and handing Alastor a towel.  
"I think that's it. If I missed any, I'll catch it real quick for ya."  
He said with a nod, however, he was confident he'd gotten every bit of stubble.

Thanking Anthony with a smile, Alastor moved over to the sink, rinsing his face off before patting it dry with the towel.   
Looking up into the mirror, Alastor raised a brow. He hadn't seen his face properly since before the incident that previous night, and _boy_ did he look tired. The dark circles under his eyes probably weren't as apparent as what they had been, but he could see what Anthony meant.

That aside though, his face was looking fresher already.   
"Why yes Anthony, I think that's an excellent job done. Thank you."

Anthony nodded as his smile grew, starting to disassemble the razor.  
"No problem. Glad I managed t' keep ya in one piece."  
He chuckled as he then opened the medicine cabinet and popped the blade into the little slot that was there, closed the mirror again, and started cleaning up and putting the kit away.

Alastor laughed a little at that too as he helped Anthony clean everything up a little. He would definitely have to make a stop back home soon, his clothes still having dried blood on them from his hand the night before.   
"Now, I suppose I shall join you and Rosie downstairs if I can. Perhaps she will have finished with the dresses?"

"She said she was about halfway done when I took the dishes down, so I think she'd be about finished now, yeah."  
Anthony nodded, taking the shaving kit and put it back in the cabinet it had come from.  
"C'mon, I'll help ya down the stairs."  
He said as he wrapped an arm around Alastor's waist in something of a supporting hug.

Alastor appreciated the help down the stairs, however he was more or less okay walking on his own. The rest he'd had up until that point had really helped him, thankfully; and just as predicted, Rosie was almost finished with touching up the dresses when the two men arrived downstairs in the lounge.

Rosie held up the final dress, the blue one Anthony vaguely described to his sister over the phone, just as they came down. She smiled in their direction.  
"I've just finished."  
She stated as Anthony brought Alastor over to the couch and sat him down.

"That was pretty quick. Thanks again for helpin' me out with that."  
The blonde smiled.

"Of course. Now, I have a few things I must go and pick up for Sunday's events. Don't break anything while I'm out."  
The woman said as she stood and folded the dress, putting it on top of the other two.

"Ah yes. Sunday."   
Alastor hummed, looking over to Anthony with slightly narrowed eyes. Regardless, Anthony seemed quite excited for Madeline's party, and Alastor wasn't going to hold that against him. Despite how much he really didn't want to attend himself.   
"We shall be here when you get back, Rosie."   
He called as the woman made her way out into the foyer, Alastor turning to Anthony now.  
"Why, I think those dresses look wonderful."

Anthony leaned back on the couch a bit as he heard Rosie exit through the front door, sighing as he ran his fingers through his hair.  
"I thought so too. Molly's gunna love 'em."  
He smiled, glancing out the window to see Rosie crossing the street.

With Rosie gone and the dresses now fixed, Alastor looked to Anthony with a small smile.   
"What now?"   
He asked, starting to regret having told Rosie that they'd still be here when she got back.

Anthony looked to Alastor and then back to the dresses with a raised brow.   
"Well..."  
He began as he stood, walking over to the neatly folded fabric, hands in his pockets. He knew he was safe here and wouldn't be punished for a little bit of harmless fun.   
"How about a show?"  
He asked, looking at his lover again with a bit of a smirk.

Alastor crossed a leg and raised a brow as he leaned back in his chair.   
"A show?"   
He questioned, taking note of the smirk that the blonde wore on his face now as he walked over to the dresses.   
"You mean...? Anthony, you can't be serious."   
He chuckled slightly with a shake of his head.

"Oh, I'm very serious."  
Anthony nodded, picking the small pile up.  
"Gotta test 'em out and make sure they look good anyway, right? If they look good on me, they're sure as hell gunna look good on Molly."  
He said as he started heading out of the lounge and toward the kitchen, going to use the hallway between the rooms to change considering it was only them there.

"Why don't 'cha get some music on?"  
He called as he started to undress just out of sight.

Alastor just shook his head with another laugh, hearing that Anthony was very serious.   
"They're tailored dresses you know- I doubt you'll fit in them."   
He called out, slowly standing and walking over to the gramophone that Rosie often used in the lounge. Searching through the stash of music flat discs she had, Alastor put one on and let the needle sit on the disk.

"We ain't much different. I'm just taller, that's all."  
The blonde called back, bringing the blue dress up and over his head then pulling it down over his body.  
Alright, so maybe he wouldn't be able to get the zipper done up all the way and it was a little too short for him, but he still knew it would fit his sister perfectly.

Reaching back and zipping the zipper only halfway, Anthony kicked his pants, shirt, socks, and shoes to the side, smoothing out the skirt of the dress a bit.   
If the dress fit him properly, he knew he would love this even more than he already did.

"Ready?"  
He called out, hearing the music starting.

With the music all set up, Alastor sat himself back down again and crossed a leg over the other, bringing his gaze towards the doorway with a nod.   
"Ready."   
He called back with a small smirk, wondering what on Earth Anthony was going to do.

Anthony didn't really have a plan either, so, fixing the skirt again, he proceeded to twirl out into view before strutting into the lounge with a big smile.

"Just a little short and can't get the back done up entirely, but I still think I look pretty good."  
He chuckled lightly, swaying from side to side so the skirt would sway too.

Alastor would be lying if he said he wasn't at least somewhat intrigued as Anthony came twirling into view, the beautiful blue dress adorning his pale frame. It may have looked quite funny, the way it was much too tight for his torso and the quite short length of it on him, but that aside, Alastor thought he looked stunning.

"Hm yes, I agree with your judgment."   
Alastor hummed with a smile, watching as the dress swished with Anthony's movements.

Anthony's smile only grew, giving one more twirl before putting on a little act.  
"What? _Marriage_? With a _man_?"  
He began, almost mimicking his sister.  
"Oh, _please_ , papa! I live with three men as it is! I don't want to go off to look after another one!"  
He cried, the back of his right hand flying up to rest against his forehead while his left sat on his hip.  
"I want to be _normal_ with _friends_ who don't have criminal family, is that _really_ too much to ask?"

Alastor couldn't help but laugh at Anthony's purposely bad acting as he played, what he presumed, was Molly.   
"Oh dear, whatever _will_ you do."   
He laughed, finding great amusement in all of this.

Anthony looked to Alastor with something of a smug grin, lowering his right hand and placed it on his cheek, then looked off into the distance as if thinking.  
"Hmmm, oh, I know!"  
He beamed.  
"I'll run away t' New Orleans with my brother, maybe find myself a fine woman t' partner up with. Then, Tony and I can go on double dates! That way, no one's gunna be suspicious! Two men an' two women out t'gether? Nothin' suspicious about that at all!"

Alastor smiled a little at that. It was clear that Anthony wanted both his own happiness and for his sister to be happy too. While it perhaps wasn't the most conventional plan- who knew what could happen in due time?   
"Why that sounds excellent An- I mean, Molly!"

Anthony nodded.  
"Why thank you, fine gentleman, that I ain't never met in person b'fore! I do consider myself t' be quite the smart cookie!"  
He was really enjoying himself now. It was good that it was daylight hours; considering the light was going in and not out, otherwise it would have been a fairly odd sight to see a man frolicking around in a dress.

Looking over to the gramophone that was still playing, Alastor slowly stood and made his way over, still paying attention to the way that Anthony danced around in the fragile sapphire blue dress.

Lifting the needle from the flat disk, Alastor carefully removed the disk and replaced it with another song- one that he knew, and one that had a much slower beat than the one before.

As the music stopped, Anthony stopped and looked over at Alastor, his smile faltering slightly.  
"What 'cha doin'?"  
He asked, seeing him switch out the disks, the slower song coming into play now.

Alastor's smile softened as he turned to Anthony.   
"Would you care for a dance... my darling?"   
He asked, making his way over to the blonde and holding out his hand for him to take.

Anthony blinked and looked at the hand offered to him, then up to Alastor's eyes. He wanted to continue with his little act but the gesture was too sweet.   
"Are y' sure ya can?"  
He asked slowly as he carefully took his lover's hand.

Giving Anthony a nod, Alastor looked down at both of their feet before flashing the blonde another grin.   
"Of course, m' lady. There is nothing I'd love more than this dance."   
He chuckled, beginning to gently sway from side to side.

Anthony couldn't help the smile that came up to his face.   
He still hadn't a clue how to dance, the only time he was able to at least make an attempt was the last time he was in this city, the night before he left; but that didn't end too well.

"Such a charmer."  
The blonde swooned with a small chuckle as he swayed a bit too.  
"But I still dunno how t' dance-"

"We don't have to do it properly, my dear."   
Alastor chuckled all the more, memories of their last dance together coming to mind. Hopefully, this wouldn't end in the same way that the last one had; then again, they weren't dancing at the top of a hill this time.   
Slowly letting go of Anthony's hand, Alastor let his left palm rest upon the blonde's hip, his injured hand lightly resting against the other side of Anthony's waist.

Anthony stepped a bit closer as they continued to sway, wrapping his arms gently around Alastor's neck. This was something he could manage, just swaying with no actual steps involved.   
He gazed fondly up into his lover's eyes, tilting his head to the right with that soft smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Humming along gently to the familiar music, Alastor continued to simply sway with Anthony. It wasn't really dancing, but it didn't need to be. This was perfect as it was.  
"I think dresses make you look _just_ like a doll, Anthony. I really do."   
He chuckled, understanding that it wasn't something that a man would really do- but neither was their relationship.

"Yeah? I'd go get one made for myself but I wouldn't be around long enough t' pick it up."  
The blonde shrugged, but ultimately glad that Alastor liked it just as much as he did himself.   
"Wouldn't be able t' wear it anywhere but here anyway."  
He added, once again stepping closer so that only a book would be able to fit between them.

"Hm yes, that's quite a shame."   
Alastor hummed, gazing deeply into Anthony's eyes, focusing in on the pretty birthmark in the left one.  
"I think that the whole taboo of a man wearing a dress is all quite amusing to be perfectly honest. Especially when one looks so stunning adorned in the delicate fabrics."

Anthony hummed in reply, noticing the attention being given to his eyes and decided to return it.  
"Last time I did this, I got myself, Molly, and our nanny in a lotta trouble... she actually got fired on the spot..."  
Sad memories, but he wasn't going to let it get him down. These were beautiful times and memories were being made. There was no time to be sad about the past. He was here now _because_ all of those things happened.

Alastor raised a brow at that, supposing that Anthony's story had happened quite some time ago, given the fact that a nanny was mentioned.   
"The past is the past, my dear. We must smile for both the present and the future!"   
He smiled, taking Anthony's hand now and lifting it up, spinning him around on the spot as the slow song began to come to an end.

Anthony's smile only widened at both the words and the spin, doing so with a small huff of a giggle, then came close again.   
"Y' wanna know somethin', Smiles?"  
He asked softly, draping his arms over Alastor's shoulders again.

Letting his low chuckle dissolve into a hum of acknowledgment as Alastor placed his hand back upon Anthony's waist, he nodded.   
"Yes, please enlighten me, my darling."

Leaning in and wrapping his arms tighter around his lover's neck in a careful embrace, Anthony sighed and closed his eyes.  
"Y' already know, but I love you."  
He whispered.

As Anthony wrapped his arms around him tighter, Alastor leaned in closer, placing the gentlest of kisses against the side of his lover's cheek.   
"I love you too..."   
He replied in a whisper, the music from the gramophone coming to a slow end now.

Anthony was about to add more to the statement but before he could, the sound of the front door sounded followed by footsteps.   
The blonde's eyes shot open and looked toward the foyer as he let go of Alastor, seeing Rosie stopping in the doorway.

Alastor glanced over his shoulder at the sound of the front door opening followed by Rosie's voice.

"Oh, I only forgot something. Anthony, if I had known the dresses were for _you_ , I would have had you put them on to make sure they fit properly."  
The woman teased.

Anthony's cheeks became flushed, fixing and smoothing the skirt in an almost nervous manner.  
"It ain't for me, I-I was just bein' silly."  
He said, feeling that same bit of fear from all those years ago start to form in his stomach.

Returning his gaze back to Anthony now, Alastor immediately noticed the flushed expression and apparent nervousness he held.

"It's okay."   
Alastor whispered to him in a reassuring manner before turning in the direction of Rosie again.  
"Yes, they are still for his sister. We are simply having a bit of fun, nothing more."

Rosie shook her head with a smile.  
"No no, I'm only teasing. Enjoy yourselves as much as you'd like."  
She nodded as she continued on through the lounge, retrieving her handbag from the kitchen, and then made her way back to the door.  
"As you were, gentlemen."  
She called just before leaving.

Anthony continued to stand in his place silently, nearly frozen in place. He knew he was safe, but the fear didn't leave.

Alastor said nothing more before he heard that Rosie had left, the sound of the door closing being that cue.   
Taking Anthony's hand now, Alastor gave it a small squeeze, still recognizing that fear upon the blonde's red expression.   
"Anthony, darling. You're safe."   
He reassured.   
"You _know_ that Rosie wouldn't mind nor would she go running her mouth. You're safe."

Squeezing Alastor's hand gently in return, Anthony nodded with a hint of a smile.   
"I know... thanks, but I think I should take this off now anyway. I don't wanna ruin it."  
He said with a nod, letting go of his lover's hand and started for the hallway again where his clothes had been left.

"Alright."   
Nodding in understanding, Alastor took a few steps back as Anthony left the room. Moving over to the gramophone, he removed the disk and carefully put it all back in the position he had found it in, knowing that Rosie could be quite particular with things like that.

Anthony quickly and carefully removed the dress, putting his usual clothes back on. He then neatly folded the dress and grabbed the others, bringing them back out into the lounge and set them down on the armchair.

"Alright, well, that was fun."  
He commented, putting his hand in his pockets and looked to Alastor again.

Alastor smiled from where he was sat back down on the couch again as Anthony walked back into the room.   
"Yes, it was. However, it did remind me that I really do need to teach you how to dance. Whether that be sometime before Tuesday, or in the future perhaps."

Anthony nodded with a small smile, walking over and sitting next to Alastor, leaning into him a bit.  
"You do. Whenever it ends up bein', I look forward to it; but there ain't any reason t' rush it. If we can't fit it in b'fore Tuesday, that's alright."  
He closed his eyes and slowly exhaled. The lack of sleep was starting to set in, especially after that bit of a scare.

Alastor smiled gently, shuffling up on the couch so that Anthony could comfortably sit beside him now.   
"You're right. We still do have an eternity after all."   
He chuckled, letting Anthony lean against him, watching as he closed his eyes. It was clear that he was tired, not having had much sleep that night.   
"Sleep if you must, my dear. I'm not going anywhere."

Anthony shook his head a bit.  
"I'm alright. Just gunna rest my eyes."  
He replied, though, whether that was a true statement or not, he wasn't sure. He was awfully tired and sleep could easily creep in and lure him away into its embrace.

Looking briefly around the room, Alastor made sure to not disturb Anthony too much as he stood and made his way over to one of the bookshelves in the room. Picking out the first book he laid his eyes upon, he returned to his seat, letting Anthony lean against him once more.  
"I shall wake you when Rosie returns."   
He whispered, leaning down to press a kiss to the front of Anthony's forehead just as he opened the first page of the book.

Anthony glanced at the cover of it before adjusting his position so he could lay down on his back, using Alastor's lap as a pillow, and closed his eyes again.  
"Love you..."  
He murmured.  
Now that he was lying down, the need to rest seemed to wash over him. Incredible, considering he had been up and ready to go only a few minutes ago.

"I love you too."   
The brunette muttered back with a smile. Laying a hand gently upon Anthony's head, Alastor opened the first page of the book, quietly beginning to read it to himself as he let his lover drift off as he pleased.

Anthony found himself sleeping rather peacefully despite the odd location, only his chest rising and falling with every slow and calm breath.

It was about two hours before Rosie returned home, a few bags in her hands. She went into the lounge and saw Anthony sound asleep with his head on Alastor's lap while Alastor read quietly, fingers carefully running through the blonde locks of his lover.

"Oh, excuse me..."  
She whispered as she began tiptoeing her way to the kitchen now, not wanting to wake Anthony considering the late night he'd had.

Looking over his shoulder at the doorway to the lounge, Alastor nodded in Rosie's direction, deciding not to get up in case he disturbed Anthony too. He seemed quite peaceful, and Alastor knew the sleep was much needed.  
Carefully closing the book and reaching around beside him to place it down on the table that stood beside the couch, Alastor then looked down at Anthony, a fond smile gracing his face.

Anthony's head turned to the left slightly with a soft hum, almost sensing the subtle change in the atmosphere around him and feeling the eyes that were on him now, however, he managed to remain sound sleep.

Rosie returned a few moments later.  
"Would you like some lunch? I'll only be preparing some sandwiches."  
She continued to whisper, eyes only on Alastor for now.

Continuing to run his fingers through Anthony's hair, Alastor looked back over to Rosie as she spoke again.   
"Ah, yes. If you would be so kind, Rosie."   
He nodded, keeping his voice low for Anthony's sake.

The woman nodded and quietly went back to the kitchen. She'd obviously make enough for Anthony to have when he awoke as well.

Anthony started to inch his way out of his slumber with a small hum, leaning more into Alastor's hand as he continued his sweet and comforting actions.

Noticing Anthony start to stir, Alastor smiled, pushing some of his blonde locks out of his face. He was so beautiful when waking up.   
"Afternoon, my darling."   
He hummed, winding a lock of the other's hair around one of his fingers.

Anthony's brows knitted together a bit, giving a small groan before speaking.  
"Afternoon...? I was only out for five minutes..."  
He replied, his eyes slowly cracking open to see Alastor staring down at him with only the fondest of looks he seemed to possibly muster. It really was a wonderful thing to wake up to.

Chuckling, Alastor shook his head.   
"Try two hours, mon amour. But it seems that it was much needed. You seem more refreshed now."   
He replied with a nod.   
"Rosie returned not too long ago and is making lunch for us. After we eat, I was thinking that perhaps we could head back if that's alright?"

Upon hearing that it had been much longer than he first thought, Anthony inhaled and brought his hands up to rub his eyes, freeing them of the sleep.  
"Mm, yeah, that's fine with me. How're y' feelin' though? Good 'nough t' travel?"  
He asked, lowering his hands again with an exhale.

Sitting up a little more now that Anthony had sat up too, Alastor shrugged.   
"I shall be fine, don't worry about me. It's mostly sitting down on the streetcar all the way there."

Anthony smiled a bit and nodded with a small 'okay', a hand reaching for Alastor's uninjured one.  
"Thanks for bein' a good pillow again."  
He sighed, leaning into the couch a little more and resting his cheek against the back of it.

Alastor brushed his thumb affectionately against Anthony's cheek a few times before he slowly began to stand.   
"Ah, don't mention it, my dear. I'll be your pillow anytime you need me to be, haha!"

Anthony chuckled lightly.  
"That's good t' know, 'cause I think I'm in need of one back in New York. Wouldja be up t' takin' the job?"  
He asked with a raised brow.

Reaching down now to cup Anthony's jaw from here he stood, Alastor smiled again.   
"You know, if I could, I would do it all for you in a heartbeat. I would be your pillow back in New York for as long as you needed me for."

Anthony lifted his chin and held Alastor's fond and loving gaze, his smile growing a little.   
"You're the best."  
He said, lowering his chin again and joining Alastor in standing. He placed a kiss on his cheek before heading to the kitchen to properly greet Rosie.

Humming a rather pleasant tune to himself, Alastor followed behind Anthony into the kitchen after he'd put the book back on Rosie's bookshelf. Just as she said she was going to, it seemed as if she was just finishing up with the sandwiches.   
"Why Rosie, those look simply delightful."   
Alastor chimed in.

"Perfect timing!"  
The woman grinned, turning to them.  
"Anthony, I trust you've had a lovely rest, considering that mess of bedhead you have."

Anthony gave a bit of a confused look before realizing that his hair must have gotten a bit out of place while Alastor was playing with it.

"Ah, yeah, it was good."  
He nodded as he started working to fix it, giving Alastor a bit of a look as well due to the lack of mention.

"Good."  
Rosie nodded, picking up the plate and holding it out for Alastor to take.  
"Simple Devildine sandwiches. Nothing too fancy, I hope that's alright."

Taking the plate with a nod of thanks, Alastor looked down at the sandwiches, his stomach practically growling now.   
"Yes, that's certainly fine with me."   
He nodded again, looking over to Anthony as he grabbed one and then back to Rosie again.   
"I trust you gathered everything you needed for Sunday? Oh- and I wanted to ask again. Does Madeline expect gifts?"

"Oh please, as if she needs anything else. A drawing from Anthony should do just fine from both of you. That husband of hers, well, he spoils her rotten."  
The woman scoffed.

"So, y' want me t' bring my own stuff, or do y' have stuff here?"  
Anthony decided to ask, just so he could come prepared.

"I've got most of Madeline's old supplies that you're welcome to use if you'd like. Otherwise, you're welcome to bring your own."  
Rosie nodded, taking one of the sandwich slices from the plate now too.

Alastor nodded at that, glad that Madeline didn't expect anything; he wouldn't know what to get her regardless.   
"And how _is_ your dearest daughter lately?"   
He almost teased, taking a bite of one of the sandwiches, smirk pulling up his lips.

Rosie's eyes narrowed with a smirk.  
"Oh, I'm sure you're just _dying_ to know."  
She batted back with a roll of her eyes.

Anthony looked between the two as he swallowed a bite of his sandwich. He still wasn't entirely sure why they disliked this girl so much. He supposed he would find out at the party.

"No, she's quite well as far as I'm aware."  
The woman continued in all seriousness before taking her first bite.

Finishing up the sandwich in his hand, placing the tray of sandwiches down to the side, Alastor quickly grabbed a glass of water.   
"Hm, yes well that's good then. At least she is moving forward with her life rather than living here. I know you quite enjoy living here by yourself now."

"Oh yes, it's always nice to be able to hear yourself think, but having that every day now is absolutely _glorious_ , haha!"  
Rosie exclaimed, looking at Anthony now.  
"You haven't met her yet, have you?"

Anthony's brows raised as he was addressed.  
"Oh, no, not yet."  
He replied.

"Dear, you'd better prepare yourself."  
The woman said with a shake of her head and a pat on the blonde's shoulder.

Anthony was clearly confused by all of this.  
"What should I be preparin' for exactly...?"  
He asked, eyes flicking between Alastor and Rosie, looking for an answer from either one of them.

"We shall let you see for yourself."   
Alastor nodded, taking a sip of the water.   
"She's not entirely the worst, however, her presence does become quite tiresome after a while."

Anthony gave a slow nod. The information was vague but still better than nothing.  
"Alrighty then."  
He then took the last bite of his food and plucked the glass of water out of Alastor's hand, taking a sip from it.

"Now then, do the two of you have plans for today? Nothing too physically exerting, I hope. You-"  
Rosie began, lightly poking Alastor in the chest.  
"-should be resting. You still look like you've been visited by death."

Alastor looked to his now empty hand from where the glass was taken, pursing his lips together in confusion before he felt a finger in his chest.   
"Oh, yes don't worry. I feel as if I have exerted Anthony _quite_ enough as it is. Myself too."   
He smirked in the slightest, meeting Anthony's eyes as he took his water back.

The blonde's nose scrunched and his cheeks warmed, folding his arms over his chest and shaking his head with a smirk of his own at the smugness his lover presented.

"That's entirely your business, none of mine."  
The woman replied though she would obviously be storing that information as she did with everything else that she was given, wanted or not.

"Anyways. Yes. I don't believe we have very many plans for the rest of today. We're returning to the carnival, however that will be tomorrow."  
Alastor continued.

"Will you be staying here or with you be returning to the Bywater?"  
She asked.

Clearing his throat and putting the water down now, taking another sandwich, Alastor nodded.  
"Yes, I must return home to change. Not to mention Mama will be back in due time, and I would like to speak with her."   
That reminded him that some sort of excuse would have to be made in regards to the bandage on his hand; a wound which his mother would check over, no doubt.

"Ah, yes. I suppose that would be wise."  
Rosie nodded.  
"I do have some writing I have to do myself which must be done before time runs out."  
She added.

Anthony then remembered the day before. Something Rosie said didn't sit right and that last sentence left the same feeling in his gut.   
"We should probably head out now then, huh?"  
He said as he looked at his lover.

Alastor shook his head with a laugh as he finished up the last sandwich, his appetite definitely sated.   
"Why Rosie, I wouldn't worry about that. You have plenty of hours left of daylight."   
He chuckled, presuming she had been talking about not wanting to write in the dark.  
"But yes Anthony, I think it's best we be off now. I do hope I don't leave anything behind- have you my jacket, Anthony?"

"Oh, yeah, it's upstairs. I'll go grab that for ya."  
The blonde nodded, pecking Alastor's cheek before scampering off to go retrieve the garment.

Rosie simply watched with a small smile.  
"Quite the lively one, hm?"  
She chuckled, shaking her head a bit.  
"Take it easy on him though. Poor thing will go home limping all over New York City."

Alastor felt his own cheeks flushing in the slightest at the woman's comment, not really sure how to respond to such a thing.   
"Worry not, he's fine."   
He settled on replying, clearing his throat again as he excused himself out of the kitchen and into the hallway, hearing Anthony's footsteps coming down the stairs now. 

Rosie smirked and loosely followed behind with a soft chuckle. It was always interesting to see Alastor in such a state. She made sure to scoop up the dresses on her way.

"Thank you for that, Anthony."   
Alastor nodded, taking the jacket off of him.

"'Course, amore."  
Anthony nodded with a smile then nodded in Rosie's direction, taking the package off of her hands.  
"Guess we'll be seein' ya on Sunday."

"I'll have everything ready for your arrival."  
She nodded with a smile of her own, staying in the threshold between the foyer and lounge.

Slipping his jacket back on, Alastor brushed himself down a little. There were a few small blood stains on the jacket but thankfully weren't as visible as the ones on his shirt, which was now covered.   
"Yes, expect us on time. I promise we will not be late."   
He said as he led Anthony towards the door, opening it for them.   
"I shall see you soon Rosie. Thank you again, for helping tend to my hand. The stitches are much appreciated."

"Of course, Alastor. See you both again soon."  
Rosie said as she closed the door behind the two men.

Anthony held the package of dresses close to himself as they started making their way.  
"Would it be alright if I dropped these off at the hotel while we're in that area?"  
He asked. Of course, if Alastor wanted to just go right home, he'd understand and go along.

Alastor nodded. The hotel was on their way anyway, so it would have been quite stupid not to do so.   
"Yes, of course. I shall wait outside for you, take as long as you need to."   
He smiled, looking to the package of dresses that Antony held close to him.

"I ain't gunna be longer than a minute in there so y' ain't gunna be waitin' too long."  
The blonde responded, reaching into his pocket for a cigarette and his lighter, but now realized he left his lighter at the hotel.  
"Got a light on ya by any chance?"  
He asked.

Patting down his pocket, quite sure that he had matches on him, it didn't take a second for Alastor to find them and pass the box to Anthony. However, his pockets felt lighter than usual, as if he was missing something on his person. He had his pocket watch, cigarette case, and his small notebook... but it quickly became apparent that what he was missing was a lot more valuable than those things.

"Anthony."   
Alastor quickly began, lighting a cigarette of his own, taking a deep sigh.   
"You didn't happen to see my knife at all anywhere back at Rosie's, did you?"

Anthony raised a brow and lit his own cigarette.  
"Your knife? No, ain't seen it since..."  
Then he remembered.  
"Shit, it's still at the tree. We're gunna have t' go get that, aren't we?"

Eyes widening a little, Alastor once again sighed. He was quite exhausted, and the way to their tree was quite off course, especially since they were so close to the streetcar stop now.   
"No, it's alright."   
He began.   
"It's not a busy place. I'm sure that it might still be around by tomorrow. I'll take a look then. Now, you run along into the hotel, the streetcar will be arriving shortly."

"Y' sure? I can go there myself, get it for ya, and meet 'cha back at your place."  
Anthony knew how much he liked his knife and that he carried it with him at all times, and he didn't mind going to get it for him. It couldn't have gotten far from where they had been.

Opening the door to the lobby, Alastor nodded once more.   
"I'm quite sure, Anthony. It will be fine, I promise."   
He called, motioning for the other to go inside now.   
"I shall be waiting right here for you."

Anthony sighed and gave a nod.  
"Alright, I'll be quick."  
Once again, he had to stop himself from kissing the man's cheek before going off to his room. Just as he said, he was hardly a minute, just dropping the dresses off in his room, grabbed his lighter, and then made it back down.

From there, they did as they said they would, making it to the streetcar on time and back to the Bywater Quarter without any issues.

"Your mom works t'day, right?"  
Anthony asked, looking up at Alastor. He still looked so drained, which Anthony didn't quite like. Knowing that this shadow of his was hurting him so much just to be able to talk with each other for no more than ten minutes was disheartening.

Stepping off of the streetcar now, Alastor looked to Anthony with a nod.   
"Yes, I do believe she was working much of the morning and afternoon. She should be back this evening though."   
He replied, the two of them beginning the short walk back to Alastor's home now.  
"There's no doubt that she'll ask about my hand, and I'm still not quite sure what sort of answer I'm going to give her. Perhaps you have any ideas?"

"Well, uh, I guess one way we could take it would be sayin' ya cut yourself on a rock- what ya happen t' be doin' with that rock, I dunno."  
Anthony began.  
"Or maybe ya got cut by a branch?"  
He took the cigarette from between his lips and flicked it away, then put his hands back in his pockets.  
"See, back home, all ya gotta say is 'it don't matter' or 'ain't 'cher business' and you'll be left alone. Guess that ain't gunna flow here, huh?"

Instantly lighting up at the idea, Alastor's smile widened.   
"Why Anthony, that's an excellent idea! We could say we were skipping stones down by the bayou, and one cut my hand. Completely foolproof!"   
He laughed with vigor, watching Anthony's cigarette as it was flicked away onto the roadside.

Anthony was a bit surprised to hear that his first idea was adequate despite not knowing what 'skipping stones' was, glancing up at Alastor.  
"Glad t' be of assistance."  
He said with a bit of a nod, Alastor's house on the corner coming into view.

Soon enough, the two men began to approach the porch of Alastor's home. Immediately, the brunette took note of the kitchen window that was open, nothing short of a beautifully baked pie sitting on the open windowsill, cooling down; and the closer they got, the more Alastor could smell the scent of freshly baked pie drifting out into the open.

"Well, _someone_ is certainly home."   
Alastor hummed, leading Anthony up the steps of the porch.

Anthony felt his smile widen a bit with a small shake of his head and a chuckle.  
"I'm gunna go home with a new waist size."  
He said, eyes falling to watch where he was stepping; and good thing he did because something caught his eye.

Grabbing Alastor's arm to stop him from stepping too far, the blonde tilted his head and leaned down, plucking the knife- _Alastor's_ knife- from its position of having been stabbed into the wood of the porch with a piece of paper attached.

Stopping in his tracks, Alastor looked down as Anthony plucked the knife from where it was stabbed into the wood. It seemed that the distraction of the pie paired with his now apparent tiredness had resulted in Alastor's failure to even see his knife sitting there.

"Someone musta found it and knew it was yours?"  
The Italian commented as he handed his lover his knife back, then unfolded the paper with a tilt of his head.

"Oh?"   
There wasn't any sort of engraving in his knife to signify that it belonged to him, so how could this be? That was when the note in Anthony's hand caught his eye. Reading the few short words with widened eyes, Alastor frowned. How bold.

_'At least Anthony watches where he's going. That's another one.'_

Scratched into the bottom right-hand corner of the note were sixteen tiny marks.

"Ignore it."   
Alastor scoffed, taking both the note and the knife, placing them into his pocket before heading inside.

Anthony's brows furrowed as the note was taken from his hands.  
"Who's it from? What's it mean? How do they know me? What's with the tics?"  
He asked all at once as he stepped inside as Alastor let him in first, making sure to take his shoes off and leaving them just outside of the door.

"Alastor? You're just getting in?"  
Amélie called as she started making her way out of the kitchen and towards the front door, wiping her hands off with a rag.

Alastor was just about to respond to Anthony, however, the sudden presence of his mother changed that.   
"Ah, yes Mama."   
He called out, seeing her walking out into the hallway as he slipped off his shoes and stepped over the threshold of the door.   
"The pie smells wonderful."   
He added, the scent all the stronger.   
"I do hope it isn't for a neighbor... is it?"

Amélie shook her head with a small chuckle.  
"No, I've had some time today to bake. It was a slow day so there was no need for me to be around. The one in the window is for us."  
She confirmed, nodding to Anthony, then seemed to notice her son's hand.  
"What happened to you?"  
She asked, walking closer and carefully taking Alastor's right hand, seeing the bandage.

"We were skippin' rocks on the water last night. Just a little cut."  
Anthony butted in, sticking to the story that Alastor seemed to like most.

Knowing that his mother would want to examine the 'little' cut, Alastor decided to elaborate.   
"I didn't realize how sharp the rock I picked up was and it cut quite deep, but don't worry; Rosie helped suture it. It's fine now."   
He continued, rather glad that the delicious pie he'd seen on the windowsill was, in fact, for them to eat after all. Even after having just had lunch, Alastor was dying for some pie.

"If that's the case, I'd certainly like to have a better look for myself."  
Amélie stated.   
"Anyway, please, come in and we can all enjoy a treat together."

Anthony nodded and accepted the invitation, walking toward the kitchen and seeing two more pies on the stove that were still to be baked.  
"Been busy t'day?"  
He asked.

"As I mentioned, I found myself with quite a bit of extra time today."  
Amélie smiled.

"I am glad that you had a bit more time to yourself, Mama. I know you work hard."  
Looking at all the pies around, Alastor hummed.   
"And what flavor perhaps are these wonderful looking pies that you've made?"   
He asked, leaning against the counter in the kitchen.

"I've made three apple and two strawberry, for the neighbors. Make sure you check which one you've taken a slice of. I know you hardly look at your food before you eat it. I don't need you on the floor all of a sudden."  
Amélie said with a sigh.

"Why would he be on the floor...?"  
Anthony decided to ask, now curious.

"Oh, didn't you know? A certain _someone_ is allergic to strawberries."  
The woman said as she grabbed two rags and opened the oven, pulling out the two strawberry pies that had been baking, then put the other two apple pies in.

Anthony looked at Alastor with a raised brow.  
"He failed t' mention that."

Rolling his eyes, Alastor nodded.   
"Yes, don't worry. I'm not _so_ driven by my stomach that I would eat a strawberry pie thinking it was an apple one."   
He chuckled slightly, pushing off the counter to make his way towards the windowsill where their apple pie sat.   
"But don't you worry, Anthony, it's not serious."

"If by 'not serious' you mean your throat will close, your tongue will swell and you'll break out in hives, you're right. It's not serious."  
His mother cut in with a raised brow as she opened a drawer.

" _Definitely_ no strawberries for you."  
Anthony nodded, taking the cue of Amélie grabbing a kitchen knife to get some plates and forks.

Chuckling, Alastor carefully reached for the pie upon the windowsill, however, upon realizing that he couldn't really grip it with both hands, he carefully pushed it back again in retreat.   
"Yes, I would appreciate it if no strawberries got too close to me."   
Alastor hummed, deciding to take a seat instead. He was feeling quite exhausted and was sure he still looked it too.

Anthony couldn't remember if Alastor mentioned his allergy in any of his letters, but even if he had, he clearly didn't remember. Not that it really mattered now. He wasn't going to forget this time.

Taking the pie off of the windowsill, knowing his lover couldn't, Anthony set it down on the counter for Amélie to cut into and serve.  
"Didja get a chance t' go see the carnival yet?"  
He asked with a small tilt of his head, remembering that she wanted to visit.

"Not yet. I plan to visit tomorrow though. I know the two of you have already gone, but do you plan to go again? Perhaps for the closing fireworks show?"

"Anthony and I actually have to go back to retrieve some photographs we had taken, and we have yet to see the circus fully. So yes, we will be returning tomorrow."   
Alastor nodded with a smile.

"Oh, perhaps we can all head over together then."  
Amélie smiled, cutting into the fresh, golden crust of the pastry, plating three slices.

Anthony then took the plates and forks to the table.  
"Shame y' weren't with us when we got our photographs taken. Molly woulda loved t' see ya."  
He commented as he took a seat, Amélie close behind.  
"Just means I'll just have t' draw ya."  
He added with a smile.

Alastor felt his mouth practically watering at the sight of the delicious slices of pie. Picking up one of the forks, Alastor took one of the plates with a nod of thanks.   
"This looks simply delicious, Mama."   
He smiled too, not wasting a second in digging into the golden crisp pastry of the pie, chunks of sweet apple filling the center.

"Off he goes, to the races."  
Amélie laughed with a shake of her head, seeing the lack of patience and hesitation as Alastor loaded his fork. She then looked at Anthony.  
"Anyway, I'm not sure I'm quite worthy of your talent as a subject, but I'd be delighted if you would draw me."

Anthony smiled and shook his head.  
"Oh, c'mon! It'd be an honor t' draw such a beautiful woman. I think it's _me_ who's unworthy."  
He replied, taking the first bite of his pie. Truly and honestly, it was possibly the best pie he'd ever had. Molly didn't bake very often and she didn't quite have the technique of pie-making down even after all of her years of practice.

Simply enjoying and savoring every bite of that sweet pie, Alastor watched Anthony's face as he too took a bite, clear happiness on his face as he did so.   
"It's good, isn't it."   
Alastor asked his lover with a smile, watching as he and Amélie conversed about a possible drawing.

The pie was still warm, the filling was perfectly sweetened, and the crust was beautifully flaky. Anthony has never had such a more pleasant experience in eating pie before, nodding at Alastor's comment as he leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes and really letting it all soak in.  
It was perfect after a stressful night.

"I'm glad you like it, Anthony."  
Amélie grinned as she took a bite of her own, looking at her son for a moment, however, did a double-take.  
"Is that... blood on your coat?"  
She asked as she reached forward, rubbing his thumb over the small patch. She then seemed to notice more underneath, pulling Alastor's coat open and seeing more than just a small amount of red on his white shirt.  
"God, you look like you've committed a _crime_! I suggest you get right upstairs and change out of that so I can try to get that out."  
She nodded firmly.

With a mouthful of pie, Alastor looked down at himself where his mother was pointing at now, the man shaking his head.   
"It's just my own blood, nothing to worry about."   
He added, placing his fork down at running a thumb over the dried splotch.   
"But this _is_ my favorite jacket, so perhaps you're right. I won't be long."   
Deciding it would be best if he did change quickly, Alastor stood from the table, leaving his pie where it was to quickly go upstairs.

Amélie watched as Alastor took his leave, hearing him going up the stairs before looking across the table at Anthony.  
"I assume that blood came from his hand?"

Anthony nodded as he sat up properly again.  
"Mm, yeah. Got him t' Rosie's as soon as I could 'cause she was closest."

"It must be quite an injury. I hope he'll be able to go back to work without any issues..."  
She said as she took another bite of her pastry before standing and going to the kitchen to prepare the solution to remove the blood. Naturally, with her working as a nurse and Alastor as a butcher, it wasn't uncommon, therefore, they always had a way to remove gore from clothing.

Once upstairs, Alastor quickly slipped off both his jacket and shirt, looking down at the bloodstains on them. He was quite tired still but figured he would nap again in due time.   
From there, he made his way into the bathroom and took a quick shower, being mindful not to wet his bandage at all, keeping it as dry as he could.

Just short of twenty minutes later, and Alastor was walking back down the stairs again, a fresh set of clothes upon his figure, the bloodied ones in his arms. The rest of his pie was waiting for him.

Amélie had finished just before Alastor returned, taking her plate to the kitchen while Anthony continued chipping away at his.   
Hearing her son coming back down, Amélie met him in the dining room, holding her hands out to take the soiled clothes.  
"You look much better already, dear."  
She smiled.

Anthony looked up at his lover, seeing a noticeable difference now that Alastor was washed up; however, his smile grew upon seeing the slight curl to Alastor's hair from still being quite wet.

Handing over his clothes, having taken everything out of his jacket pockets earlier, Alastor nodded in thanks as his mother took them.   
"Why, thank you."   
He smiled, moving back over to his plate of pie, seeing that Anthony had almost finished his own.   
"All good, my dear?"   
The brunette asked his lover, taking a forkful of the pie.

Anthony grinned and nodded.  
"Better than good. How're ya feelin'?"  
He asked, leaning forward in his seat a bit.

Nodding with a smile, Alastor replied.   
"Much better, thank you. Although, I think I shall perhaps lie down for a bit after this. I also have to talk to you about... the note."   
Leaning in to whisper that last part a little quieter, Alastor quickly leaned back again, finishing up his pie now with definite plans to get another slice later on.

At the mention of the note, Anthony knew exactly what he meant, but he didn't understand why Alastor was so hushed about it. Despite that, the blonde nodded and finished his own slice off.   
"A nap would do ya good I think."  
He agreed, moving past the note for now.

"What about yourself? Do you have any plans? Anything you wanted to do?"   
Alastor asked, looking to Anthony's now finished plate and gathering both his and the blonde's up, as well as their cutlery.  
"You don't have to stay here while I rest."

Anthony couldn't help but chuckle.  
"And miss the chance of drawin' ya while ya sleep again? Never."  
He smiled with a shake of his head, remembering back to the time he drew the man asleep against the tree stump the first time they visited Alastor's shed together. Of course, things were different back then.

Slowly standing once again, Alastor could only chuckle.   
"I can't imagine it's any different from drawing me if I was awake. Except my eyes are closed and I'm unfortunately not smiling."   
He laughed, taking the plates in hand.   
"I'll take these through for you."

Anthony simply shrugged with a smile, thanking Alastor for the kind gesture.

As soon as Alastor entered the kitchen, however, Amélie was waiting for him as she let the clothes soak in the sink.  
"Alastor, est-ce que je peux te toucher un mot?"  
[Alastor, could I have a word with you?]  
She asked softly after making sure Anthony wasn't following behind him.

Raising a brow at Amélie's words as he brought the plates over to the side of the sink, Alastor nodded before turning to her.   
"Bien sûr, Mama. De quoi veux-tu me parler?"  
[Of course, Mama. What do you want to talk about?]   
He replied, head tilting slightly.

She cleared her throat and wiped her hands on a rag.  
"Et bien, j'ai remarqué que... euh... le niveau d'huile est devenu plutôt bas bien qu'on ne s'en est pas vraiment servis pour cuisiner récemment."  
[Well, I noticed that... uh... the oil has gotten pretty low even though we haven't really used it for cooking lately.]  
She began.  
"Est-ce que tu pourrais en acheter plus si tu continues à l'utiliser pour tes... activités avec ton amour?"  
[Could you buy more if you keep using it for your... activities with your love?]

Immediately, Alastor felt his face heating to a color similar to beetroot, his eyes widening in the slightest over the fact that he'd just been called out for such a thing, and no less by his own mother. Still, he couldn't deny it, and it was only polite to replace the things that you use.   
"Je... Je vais considérer le fait d'acheter un remplacement. Ne t'en fais pas. Je m'excuse."  
[I... I will then consider purchasing a replacement. Do not worry. I apologize."

Letting his words linger in the air for a few silent moments, his face still very much red, Alastor cleared his throat.   
"Autre chose?"  
[Anything else?]

"Non mon cher. J'apprécie ta considération."  
[No, my dear. I appreciate your consideration.]  
Amélie replied with a smile, definitely appreciating his honesty with the matter; and dare she say that the redness was quite the sight. Alastor never turned that color naturally.  
"Enjoy your nap, dear."  
She added as she turned toward the counter and started wiping it down, ensuring that no remanence of the strawberries was there.

Alastor, as he went to leave the kitchen and return to Anthony, he glanced over his shoulder one more time, smiling at his mother.   
"Thank you, Mama."   
He nodded, moving into the dining room now.

Leaning himself against the doorframe, Alastor popped his head in, the remnants of blush still upon his cheeks.   
"I think I shall be retiring now, Anthony. You're welcome to join me upstairs if you wish."

Anthony stood from his seat and nodded with a smile.  
"Alright, let's go."  
He said as he walked over, taking Alastor's hand and started leading him to the stairs and up to his bedroom.  
"I won't draw ya this time. I'll just lay with ya."

Smiling as he was led upstairs and to his room, Alastor nodded.   
"Alright, my dear."   
Moving over to the window, Alastor gently closed the curtains to keep the room more or less dark before he sat down on the bed.  
He'd let his mother take a look at his hand later, but for now, he really was in need of a rest. Alastor hoped that when he woke up, he'd be feeling more like himself again.

Letting the taller man lay down first, Anthony then joined him and assumed his usual position cuddled up right up against his lover, a leg wrapped around one of his and cheek on his chest.   
It was exactly what he missed the night before, causing his inability to sleep.  
"Rest well, amo."  
He said softly with a kiss to Alastor's cheek.

Chuckling as Anthony got comfortable in what seemed to be a usual position now, Alastor let both his arms loosely rest around the other as he closed his eyes.   
"I love you, mon amour."   
Alastor whispered tiredly, breathing getting slower as he felt the great need to sleep wash over his body.


	58. Chapter 58

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Friday, August 10th, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

After their rest spanning just over an hour, Anthony having fallen asleep too, they got up at nearly four in the afternoon.  
With Alastor sitting at his desk now, Anthony stayed sitting on the bed with his legs crossed and hair a bit of a mess from his lover playing with it again. That seemed to be how these things went. Alastor would always wake up first and then be left to run his fingers gently through Anthony's hair, not having the heart to wake him from his slumber.

"So, b'fore we came up here, y' mentioned somethin' about the note? Probably shoulda talked about that b'fore we slept-"  
The blonde said as he leaned back against the wall. 

Alastor had left his initial drawing of what he'd seen of the entity, back at Rosie's house, but that's as fine. The horrific image was still very much engraved into his mind, so he could redraw it for the purpose of showing Anthony.   
"Yes... the note."   
He began, picking up the piece of paper he'd left on his desk and handing it back over to his lover.   
"You asked who it was from earlier. It was the shadow."   
He stated rather simply, yet with confidence.   
"It all makes sense if you think about it, there's nothing and no one else that it could have been."

Anthony took the page and looked it over, tilting his head at the marks at the bottom, counting them out in his head; twice to make sure he didn't miscount.  
"I guess it does, but the marks? What's with those? Weren't there seventeen on the tree? There's only sixteen here."  
He said, looking at Alastor again.  
"Do they mean somethin'?"

Alastor nodded again, watching as Anthony counted the marks and then supposedly counted them again, his eyes looking back over them.   
"Yes, I know. I have a feeling that it counted bringing my knife back for me as one of its little 'favors'. Although, I never asked it to. I suppose to get more of these little favors... I'll have to- well, I'm sure you know what I'll have to do."

Anthony had to think that over for a moment, looking at the marks again and then back to Alastor with a shake of his head.  
"Oh god, no..."  
He sighed, handing the page back, making sure to keep his voice down just in case Amélie was within earshot.  
"A _life_ for a _favor_? That doesn't seem fair..."

"Whether it's fair or not, this entity makes and lives by its own rules I'm afraid."   
Alastor nodded, taking the note back and carefully folding it up before putting it away in one of the drawers of the desk.   
"Regardless, I have sixteen favors remaining, given that I take no more lives."

"We gotta work somethin' out, Al..."  
The blonde replied, an expression of nothing but pure worry and a hint of fear laid out on his face.  
"Takin' a life ain't somethin' t' be taken lightly..."

Standing from his seat at the desk, Alastor moved over to sit beside Anthony on the bed, gently taking his hand.   
"I understand that, Anthony."   
He began, looking to the ground.   
"But... addictions are difficult to break out of. I fear that... it may worsen."

Anthony took Alastor's hand and squeezed lightly.  
"At least have a reason. Like the seamstress. She let some awful shit happen t' Molly. Lawrence was a piece o' shit anyway so even if he wasn't messin' with my family, I still woulda offed 'im 'cause he was hurtin' innocent people who done no wrong."  
He said, looking into his lover's eyes as he brought his other hand up to cup his cheek.  
"I can't be here all the time yet t' make sure ya stay outta trouble. I don't want ya gettin' caught or somethin'. Y' know I'll bail your ass out as soon as I hear about it, but I'm scared that... I won't hear 'bout it in time... y' know?"

Alastor was silent for a moment.   
Up until a certain point, his kills had been nothing short of spontaneous. Rushes of a desire to kill in that moment of time- they were never too planned out. However, lately, in the past two years specifically, his style of killing had changed somewhat. His thought process too. Like with Mr. Cormier and the spices at the butcher's, those were intentional, yet thought out. So, perhaps it was a good thing that he was changing? He couldn't say for sure. Then again... perhaps the long, torturous death he gave Cormier was not simply a means to an end, but something that Alastor would only continue to delve into?

"You asked me if I would stop all of this if you requested me to. My answer still stands the same, but perhaps I will take your words now into consideration. To have a reason."

Anthony smiled softly and let out a slow exhale.  
"I'm just scared for you. Not only 'cause y' might get caught, but also what's gunna happen if ya need a favor but don't got the means t' pay. Just... please don't do anythin' y' can't pay for. I don't wanna find out what happens in a scenario like that with this sorta thing... it's bad enough with what happens back home."

Giving Anthony's hand a gentle squeeze, Alastor shook his head again, still keeping his voice low.   
"I promise I will be careful, my love. I've promised Rosie before that I would be, and I'm promising you too. Promises aren't something that I really enjoy making, but for you? I would make a million if it made you happy."

Anthony couldn't help the small laugh he gave.  
"I noticed. You've been makin' promises a lot since I got here; last time y' didn't make any."  
His gaze fell for a moment but returned to meet Alastor's again, his smile falling.  
"I'm just so worried about you..."

Alastor sighed softly, lips pursing together.   
"Is there... anything I could do to make you worry _less_?"   
He asked, at least appreciating Anthony's clear concern for him.   
"Something that would perhaps keep that beautiful smile of yours upon your face?"

Anthony couldn't help the slight dusting of pink to his cheeks, turning his head to the right and lowering his eyes to the floor. Alastor complimenting him like that with the most genuine and heartfelt tone always seemed to get his heart pumping.

Gaining the confidence to look his lover in the eye again, he shook his head before letting their foreheads rest against each other.  
"Unless I was here or you were there with me at all times, I don't think I'll ever stop worryin'. I know Rosie's here t' keep an eye on ya, but with how communication is, I feel like it ain't enough."

Huffing a gentle laugh as their foreheads were brought together, Alastor nodded.   
"Well then, I suppose you'll simply have to trust me not to get into any sort of trouble."   
He replied, completely reveling in the pink dusting that Anthony had settled across his cheeks now.

The blonde blinked slowly with a small sigh.  
"Guess so, but if I hear about anythin' happenin', I swear I'm gunna kick your ass t' the stars."  
He said as he sat upright again.   
"Send ya off with a kiss and a wave."  
He paused.  
"Then I might kick myself t' the stars too 'cause I'd be lonely here without ya..."  
He paused again.  
"Then I'd have t' come back 'cause I can't leave Molly... I'm thinkin' too much into this, but ya get my point, right?"

Alastor sat back with a laugh at the amusing conversation and prospect of Anthony kicking all of them to the stars. It was almost adorable in the brunette's opinion.   
"I'd willingly go if it meant we were safe, mon amour."   
He chuckled, reaching up for a piece of Anthony's hair, brushing it back from where it was sticking up slightly.

"That ain't how that's supposed t'-"  
Anthony huffed.  
"Y' ain't supposed t' _like_ a _threat_. That was me _threatenin'_ ya. Be scared, damn it!"  
Because Alastor turned the threat into something sweet, the blonde was really trying to keep himself in his original mindset instead of melting into a puddle at his lover's feet. Even still, Anthony probably wasn't the scariest person to ever walk the planet, nor would he ever be. He was too soft sometimes; especially when it came to Alastor.

Calming himself, running a hand through his own hair now, Alastor nodded.   
"Alright, alright. I'm _terrified_. Terrified of your beautiful face with your wonderful eyes and not to mention those dimples- oh how they _scare_ me."

Anthony folded his arms over his chest.  
"Sorry, I ain't smellin' the pure fear comin' offa ya. Wanna try that again?"

Laughing softly now, Alastor just shrugged, leaning forwards to press a kiss to Anthony's nose.   
"I would not like to express my fear again, no, but I'm sure you can see how scared I am."

Anthony pursed his lips together and rolled his eyes, trying to stop the pink on his cheeks from darkening.  
"Oh, _yes_ , you're absolutely _terrified_. I can tell you're about t' wet your pants in fear."

It was no use, Alastor was quite sure that unless Anthony was genuinely mad, there was no hope for him to look even somewhat scary.   
"Hm, yes. I am very much scared."   
With one last chuckle, Alastor stood from the side of the bed and sat back down at his desk, giving Anthony a smile over his shoulder.

"Sure."  
Anthony huffed, leaning back against the wall again.  
"Anyway, shouldn't we go see if your mom needs any help with supper?"  
He asked, looking up at the time.

Peering up at the clock too, Alastor nodded.   
"Yes, I suppose you're right. However, there was something I wanted to ask you first. Regarding the entity."   
He added, sliding a piece of paper over his desk and dipping his pen into the ink.   
"When I contacted it, it had a different form than usual. I drew it for Rosie earlier, however she didn't seem convinced considering my lack of artistic abilities. I was thinking that perhaps you could help with drawing my vision of the shadow?"

Anthony's brows raised upon hearing the request, unfolding his arms and moving to sit on the edge of the bed.  
"I could see what I can do; for a price. Tryna expand my business here and gotta start chargin'."  
He said, clearly joking. He had no intention of ever pursuing art as a career. He'd never get away with it, nor would he ever really expect payment from Alastor for anything. 

"Oh yes? And what payment will you accept?"   
Alastor replied, sounding quite serious, however, he was joking too. 

"I was kidding. You get everythin' free of charge, but if ya feel like ya gotta, I'll accept kisses from ya."  
Anthony replied with a shrug as he leaned closer to see what Alastor was doing.   
"What 'cha need?"

Tapping the pen on the side of the glass ink pot, Alastor began to draw, trying to make this image as similar as he could to the one he'd drawn before at Rosie's.  
"I can explain the figure more in detail to you than this, but I shall draw out what I believe it more or less looked like; so you have something to go off of."

"If ya got a pencil, I'll start makin' a sketch for ya... or I could just draw a stick with a head and call it a day...?"

Reaching back into one of the drawers, Alastor pulled out a pencil and handed it over to the blonde.   
"Well, a stick wouldn't be completely far off, I suppose... in a sense. Its body was awfully thin and stick like to begin with."   
Alastor nodded, being slightly messy with the way he drew the entity, however, with the black ink he was able to create those void-like pools for eyes perfectly.

Taking the pencil, the blonde continued to watch Alastor draw, noting the accuracy of the meager physique of the entity and the eyes.  
He'd never drawn anything like this before, only having drawn realistic forms while this was anything but.  
"Are those... antlers and... ears?"  
He asked with furrowed brows.

"Antlers, yes. Ears? Perhaps? I think the entity takes a form similar to that of an elk. Or even a deer, given the antlers; but I could be very wrong."   
Alastor continued in, dipping the pen back into the ink and adding both the knife-like teeth and any sort of details he dared to add without ruining it with too much ink.   
"There..."   
Leaving the paper where it was to dry, he sat back so that Anthony could see properly.   
"It's as I said to Rosie, I don't think my drawing accuracy is too far off with this one."

Anthony stood from his spot on the bed and leaned over Alastor's shoulder with his right hand on the back of Alastor's chair while his left tapped the end of the pencil on the desktop, tilting his head from one side and to the other.  
"Hmmm... I guess I could work with this. Antlers, maybe ears, skinny as hell. All I'll need is paper and I'll get started."  
He said with a nod, grabbing the paper with an added peck on his lover's cheek before standing upright again.

"Take as much paper and time as you need to."   
Alastor smiled, standing up himself now and offering the seat at the desk to his lover.   
"I'll go down and see if Mama needs any help with supper, alright? I promise I won't be long."   
There it was again. Another promise. Alastor supposed when it came to Anthony and promises, he was completely smitten.

Anthony smiled a bit and nodded.  
"Alright, no rush though. I'll just draw until ya get back."  
He responded, placing one more kiss on Alastor's lips before sitting at the desk, grabbing some paper, and immediately putting the pencil to it.

With a small smile at the kiss, Alastor gave Anthony a tiny wave as he took his leave from the dimly lit room, closing the door quietly behind him and beginning to make his way downstairs.

However, it seemed that Alastor didn't leave his room entirely. Sitting in the shadows, watching Anthony as he drew. The entity simply stared, its smile wide as it crept up behind Anthony, sending a cold chill out into the room as it moved.

The blonde felt the sudden chill, however, he didn't entirely acknowledge it. He was too focused on his first sketch to let the literal shiver running through his body stop him.   
Glancing to the reference image for a moment, Anthony tilted his head and started attempting to sketch out the possible ears, then more of the hair.

The shadow grew in its size as it loomed over Anthony from behind, silently chittering away as it watched the Italian draw.   
For a few moments, it stood in watch before it lifted a wispy hand, placing it right upon Anthony's left shoulder and leaning down so it was settled right beside Anthony's ear.

Like a mere and almost silent echo in the dark.   
_'No.'_

Anthony could ignore the chill to his shoulder but the single word shot him right up out of the chair and whipped around with a loud gasp and eyes as big as the full moon.  
_"Shit!"_  
It was surprising to actually hear the voice, almost like Alastor's but it was more of a whisper and kind of scratchy, sinister and a little deeper.

After catching his breath, Anthony scowled at the shadow.  
"So ya _can_ talk. Great. Get outta here. Y' hurt him and I ain't forgivin' ya for it."  
He said as he plopped back down into the chair, muttering a few things in Italian as he started on the sketch again.

The shadow watched in amusement as Anthony jumped up; and when Anthony sat back down again, there was a few moments before the shadow slunk down into the floor, suddenly reappearing right in front of Anthony's line of sight, against the wall that the desk was up against now.

It stood there in waiting before reaching a hand out again, pointing a finger down at the paper Anthony worked on and tapping at a particular part of the drawing with an extended scrawny finger.

Anthony tried to ignore the shadow as it slunk to the front of him, however, when it started tapping a piece of the drawing, he stopped and leaned back.  
"What? What's the problem?"  
He asked, glaring up at the shadow.  
"It's hair... I think. Look, I'm goin' offa what Al gave me, alright? If ya don't like it, take it up with him. I ain't takin' your help."

The shadow slowly shook its head, carefully dragging its nail across the page where Anthony was drawing the supposed hair, however, it was careful not to rip the paper at all.   
It found itself almost guiding Anthony as to how the hair was supposed to look, Alastor's drawing not entirely accurate in terms of that.

The blonde watched for a moment with narrowed eyes.  
"This... ain't gunna count as a favor of yours, is it? As much as I want this t' be perfect for him, I ain't gunna accept it if it's a favor."  
He said, glaring up at the shadow.

The shadow pulled back, its grin widening momentarily as if it were thinking about Anthony's question. However, after a moment, it shook its head, reaching back out again for the paper to continue guiding the Italian.

Naturally, Anthony was skeptical, but he did want this to be exact.   
"Alright, fine..."  
He sighed, returning to the sketch and letting the pencil go along with wherever the shadow dragged its finger on the page.

"Y' couldn't've done this for Al too? Jeez... scarin' the pants offa me and everythin'..."  
He muttered as he worked.

Again, the shadow chittered before it leaned down, opening its mouth as it whispered to Anthony again. 

_'You're better.'_  
It replied, pointed eyes narrowing in laughter.

It continued to help Anthony sketch out the main figure, however, it seemed when it came to the finer details, Anthony wasn't getting anywhere.

Anthony really did appreciate the help. The compliment wasn't something he was expecting but he took it to heart regardless, murmuring a small 'thank you' and continued with the sketch.   
When the shadow stopped, the blonde looked up with a raised brow.  
"What? We done? Did I do it wrong?"

Slinking back to where it could be against the wall, the shadow shook its head, then moved out into the middle of the room.   
Within the bedroom, another cold chill suddenly took hold, the lamp lighting the room suddenly flickering once or twice as the entity began to grow in size.

Anthony stood from his seat and turned to lean against the desk, arms folding across his chest, watching as the shadow started to grow. Trying to lean further away, Anthony's arms unfolded and gripped the side of the desk.  
"Hey, what 'cha doin'? If y' didn't like it, y' shoulda said somethin'-"  
His voice was becoming a little more frantic the more the shadow grew and gained more detail and color.

Its back began to arch as the sound of creaking and splitting wood filled the air, large antlers extending from two points on the shadow's head. It turned around briefly, its back to Anthony's as it's shadowed frame contorted and started to become less... shadow-like.  
With another flicker of the lamp, the entity turned around, its full form now greeting Anthony, the same horrific creature that Alastor had seen not too long ago.

"Okay okay, if y' wanna restart we can restart! I-"  
Anthony was cut off when the shadow-turned-creature turned to stare at him with the black abysses for eyes.  
" _OH!_ Oh _no_!"  
He jumped, moving to push himself against the wall beside the desk. This... _thing_ was unlike anything he'd ever seen.

Yellow razor-sharp teeth that protruded from black gums, dripping with something that looked like black ink from both its mouth and eyes. It was so tall that it had to hunch over and took up a large majority of the space in the room, even then, the massive black antlers that came out of its head scraped at the ceiling and its possible ears grazed the top of the room as well.   
The sickly thin figure was definitely accurate to Alastor's drawing, as were the eyes.   
Needless to say, Anthony's fear of spiders was _nothing_ compared to this.

"Jesus _Christ_ , okay! What'd ya want!?"  
Anthony cried out, his back as far up against the wall as he could possibly get it.

The shadow simply stood there for a while, not moving, just staring ominously in Anthony's direction, its knife-like teeth clenched together in a smile that could only be described as unsettling.

Eventually, it extended a hand out towards the desk, clawed fingers plucking the pencil from the wood before it held it out for Anthony to no doubt take.   
_'Draw.'_

Looking at the pencil that was held out to him, Anthony held his breath and looked at it for a moment or two, almost as if he was waiting for the creature to kill him with it, even though it told him to continue drawing.  
Gulping, he nodded and shakily exhaled, taking the pencil with a trembling hand and slowly sunk back down into the seat.

He discarded the first sketch and grabbed a new sheet, turning back to see the being still staring in his direction with that menacing grin.  
Now that he got to see what Alastor did, he'd be able to draw it more accurately any time he wanted considering the fact that the image was now in his mind forever. It wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.

Now it seemed the entity was very much satisfied with what Anthony was drawing, now that he had a suitable reference after all.   
Deciding that it had given Anthony enough heart attacks for the day, the shadow simply sat there, not moving too much, just letting itself be drawn.

This wasn't the kind of model Anthony had ever thought he'd be drawing. He did appreciate that it didn't move because any sudden movements would have sent the poor Italian out the window and running back to New York faster than anyone could blink.

He only did sketches, moving slightly for each page, wanting to get as many angles as he could, deciding to ink them over later. Of course, he was still pretty shaken by it, but it seemed to be happy to be drawn.

Soon enough, the entity began to slowly move, its antlers scraping against the ceiling as it did so. It began to tilt its head, almost unnaturally so, yet its smile stayed upon its horrific face regardless, and for whatever reason, it almost looked sincere as it smiled at Anthony.

Just like that, another cold chill flooded the room as the figure dispersed and slunk back into the shadows, the mere shadow of Alastor remaining upon the wall.

Naturally, Anthony flinched at the movement and began to shake again. Once he saw that the shadow had returned to its shadowy form, the blonde relaxed a little and tried to catch his breath from the fear.

"D-Did I... did I do alright?"  
Anthony asked, trying not to sound too scared of the figure. It made sense to him why some people were afraid of their own shadows now.  
"I don't wanna find myself dead 'cause I messed somethin' up."

The shadow just gave a small shrug followed by its usual silent laugh before simply disappearing, its form vanishing from the wall.

Anthony was alone now.

Anthony watched as it left, feeling the room gain some of its normal warmth again. Sighing with relief, he turned back around and finished off his sketch, grabbing the pieces of paper and leaving the room to go and show Alastor.   
He was still pretty shaken, but still grateful to the shadow for its help.

"Al?"  
He called softly as he headed for the kitchen, assuming that's where Alastor was.

Alastor, while Anthony drew upstairs, had indeed gone down to see if his mother needed help with anything, and she had. Of course, it was a little harder than usual for him to help in the kitchen, given that one of his hands was bandaged, but he still was able to help her somewhat. They'd been talking amongst themselves, so any noise that Anthony had been making upstairs, Alastor certainly hadn't heard it.

Now, as they waited for supper to cook, Amélie planned on looking at Alastor's hand. He definitely needed the wound cleaned and the bandages changed at least; and that was when he heard Anthony calling out for him, the sound of his footsteps coming down the stairs.

"In here!"   
Alastor called from the kitchen.

Anthony tried to seem like he didn't just have the crap scared out of him while he was upstairs, still excited to show his lover what he'd managed to come up with.

"I think I got it."  
He said as he entered the kitchen.

Amélie was in the middle of unwrapping Alastor's hand, looking toward the blonde.  
"More art? I'd love to-"  
Before she could continue, Anthony set the sheets of paper down on the counter in front of Alastor.  
"...see... uh..."  
She continued slowly after seeing the sketches.

Alastor cleared his throat slightly as Anthony walked in with the drawings, his lips pursing together slightly as the blonde placed the papers down on the counter, Amélie undoubtedly seeing them.   
"Anthony."   
He pressed, looking at him as if to say 'don't show me those now', but it seemed as if Amélie had already seen them. 

Anthony didn't catch the look in time, but as soon as he did, his shoulders raised as if he was trying to shrink down into a turtle shell and let his eyes apologize for him.

"That's... quite the imagination you have, my dear."  
The woman lightheartedly laughed out.

"Yes, Anthony's mind _does_ run quite wild sometimes, it seems."   
Alastor replied with a slight eye roll, not even having looked at the drawings yet.

"Didn't mean t' interrupt-"  
He said as he gathered the pages quickly.  
"Was just... ah... never mind."  
He shook his head, neatly stacking the pages and hugging them close to his body.  
"Ah... how's the hand?"  
He asked.

Amélie took a deep breath and set the old bandages down as she brought Alastor's hand up closer with a tilt of her head.  
"Well, it looks like it's going alright..."  
She observed.  
"I must say though... it looks too clean to have been a rock. A rock usually has jagged and uneven sides. This is too straight and clean..."  
She explained as she glanced up at Alastor.  
"You're certain it was a rock?"

Alastor too looked at his hand, observing the wound properly for the first time since it had been inflicted. He had to admit, it didn't look like an injury caused by a rock at all. Definitely a knife wound; even he could see that.   
"Yes Mama, I'm quite certain."   
Still, Alastor would try his luck.

Amélie then looked at Anthony with a raised brow as if silently threatening him to tell the truth in confirming the story.

The blonde nodded in reply to the look he was given.  
"We're sure."  
He stated.

"Alright..."  
The woman said slowly, clearly skeptical but wasn't about to push for answers. Dinner was nearly ready and she wanted to get Alastor wrapped up again before then, so, taking some cleansing solution and gauze from the kit that they kept in the kitchen, she started carefully cleaning the stitched wound.   
Amélie wouldn't admit it, but it was well done for someone who wasn't trained in the medical field.

"Anthony, would you mind setting the table?"  
She asked.

The blonde quickly nodded and got right to work, grabbing the cutlery and taking it to the table.

Alastor didn't flinch as his wound was being cleaned, despite the stinging sensation. He could also see that his mother, while skeptical, would hopefully stop pressing for answers in regards to his injuries. What Alastor had already told her would have to suffice.   
"Thank you for cleaning it, Mama."   
He spoke after a few moments, watching as his mother bandaged up the wound now.

"Yes, I'd rather you didn't get an infection that ended in amputation."  
Amélie replied with a nod, making sure the bandage was secure as she wrapped.

Anthony decided to take this bit of time to go back upstairs and put the drawings back in the bedroom until Alastor was ready to see them, going back down to the kitchen after to wait, Amélie now finished and packing up the first aid kit.

Nodding at that, Alastor carefully lowered his hand once it had been all bandaged up, moving his fingers slightly. It didn't strain the wound on his palm too much to do so, which was good.   
"I suppose supper will be ready shortly? I shall help you plate the food up where I can."   
Alastor asked, watching as his mother packed and cleaned everything away.

"No no, you go and sit down."  
Amélie instructed.  
"We have Anthony here to help if I need it."  
She smiled at the Italian, who nodded and stepped forward.

"Sure do! What 'cha need?"  
Anthony asked.

"Nothing just yet. Perhaps persuade Alastor to go and sit down?"  
The woman chuckled.

Alastor couldn't help but laugh a little as Anthony stepped forward, the brunette sighing, just knowing that he was going to be easily persuaded.   
"No persuasion needed."   
He chuckled too, putting both his hands up defensively as he went to leave the room.   
"I suppose I shall leave the two of you to it then."

Anthony raised his chin and smirked while Amélie looked between the two, watching as Alastor left.  
"What did you do?"  
She asked.

"Hm?"  
Anthony hummed, wondering what she meant.

"What did you do? He always puts up a fight and insists on helping."  
She explained as she turned to the oven, grabbing two rags.

The blonde huffed a small chuckle.  
"I dunno what you're talkin' about. I didn't do nothin'."  
He shrugged as he opened the cupboard that held all of the dishes.  
"Plates or bowls?"  
He asked.

"Bowls today."  
Amélie nodded, uncovering a pot that sat on the stove.

Their meal was as wonderful as it always was. Amélie had made etouffee for the three of them and very quickly were all of their bowls cleaned.   
After supper had finished, Alastor simply couldn't resist another slice of that mouth-watering apple pie, Anthony following suit.

After they had all eaten and cleared the dishes, Anthony and Amélie washing up and putting away considering Alastor was unable to, the blonde started up the stairs, excited to show his drawings of Alastor's shadow.

Once everything had been cleaned up, Alastor having insisted on helping with that at least, both he and Anthony found themselves upstairs once again. Amélie was downstairs in the lounge, so finally, Anthony could present the drawings to Alastor.

Anthony stepped into the bedroom and closed the door behind Alastor before going over to the desk and placing a hand on the small stack of paper that he had left face down.  
"Alright, sorry about bringin' 'em down earlier, but I was _real_ excited t' show ya. I think they came out real good."  
He said as he then turned the pages over and laid out the four sheets of paper, showing different angles of the grotesque beast.  
"Ta-daaaa~"

Judging by the grin on his face, Anthony's nerves had calmed since the interaction with the monstrosity only an hour or so previously.

Alastor perched himself on the end of his bed, focus now on Anthony as the blond turned around the four sheets of paper for him to see. The first was good, much better by Alastor's standards. However... the other three? The accuracy was immaculate and terrifying.

"How..."   
Alastor trailed off, quite sure that even _he_ hadn't put this much detail into his rendition of the entity, so _how_ was Anthony's version so accurate?   
"How did you..."

Anthony's smile widened as he bit his bottom lip. Seeing Alastor speechless was quite the treat.  
"Oh, y' know..."  
He began with a shrug.  
"I had a little help from a certain someone."

Picking up the pieces of paper, he handed them over so Alastor could get a better look.  
"Will they do or are ya gunna need more? 'Cause from this point on, I'm really gunna have t' charge ya."

Alastor's eyes widened a little more at Anthony's explanation, the man running a hand through his hair with a breath.   
"You're quite sure?"   
He asked, looking up into his lover's eyes, on the edge of his seat now as his gaze switched between Anthony and the drawings. They were too accurate to be done without a physical reference. 

"I mean, I guess I could slip ya a few more for free, but-"  
Anthony began but was cut off.

"Did it hurt you? What did it say? Are you alright?"   
Standing now, Alastor carefully took Anthony's hand.

Anthony's excitement dulled and softened his expression. Alastor's sweet side was showing again.  
"Al, I'm fine. It didn't do nothin'."  
He said as he gave his lover's hand a reassuring squeeze.  
"At first it just kinda guided me and then, as soon as I finished the first picture, I guess it wasn't satisfied so it showed me. Didn't say much. Only a few words through the whole thing. Just 'no' and 'draw'."  
He explained.  
"The 'no' was b'fore I even noticed it, I guess it was tellin' me I didn't have it right, _then_ it started guidin' me. 'Draw' was after it turned into... _that_. I was scared, sure, but it didn't hurt me."

Alastor was silent as he processed, lips pursed together in thought as he let go of Anthony's hand and held the drawings up to his vision instead, looking them over.   
"It spoke... and you're sure that's all it said to you? Well, I mean, I'm sure it's all harmless and it doesn't matter what it said to you, what's done is done, but still. It's curious to me."

Anthony looked between Alastor and the drawings for a moment.  
"Well, it did say... _one_ other thing..."  
He said softly.

Alastor raised a brow, lowering the papers now, clearly intrigued. Anthony had him hooked.  
"Yes? Go on?"   
He pressed, curiously laced with a hint of concern in his tone now.

"It said..."  
Anthony glanced down at the floor, trying his best to keep a straight face and not give away his amusement.  
"Well, I asked why it didn't guide _you_ in the first place while ya made your drawin'."  
He then looked up at Alastor.  
"It said it was 'cause I was a better artist than you."

Alastor felt himself physically deflating, both from having been practically holding his breath and from the fact that his own shadowed friend had insulted him behind his back; and most probably with an unhesitant smile upon its face too.

Natural grin faltering, nose scrunching in disapproval, Alastor just rolled his eyes with a small scoff.   
"Of course."   
He sighed, scanning the room for the entity, but there was no sign of it around.   
"That no good, disloyal shit shadow. Merely jealous of my artistic abilities..."   
Alastor muttered, putting the papers back on the desk.

Anthony blinked a few times before his eyes widened. He'd heard Alastor say 'damn' before but ' _shit_ '? He never thought he would see the day the man's gentlemanly walls crumbled even for a second.

" _Alastor Levesque_!"  
The blonde breathed in a disbelieving tone, the same kind that a shocked woman would use; even going as far as adding actions, the back of his hand flying up to his forehead and fanning himself with the other hand.  
"The _language_!"  
He was merely teasing, but he was still pretty shocked.

Alastor was almost startled by the tone. _Almost_. Even so, he couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips at both the blonde's reaction and everything that came after.   
"Anthony, be quiet. Mama will wonder what on earth is happening."  
He laughed, reaching out to pull his lover's hand away from his forehead in hopes of ceasing his amusing actions.  
"I blame the entity entirely for the way I react, and the words that I say as a response."

Anthony grinned and chuckled, shaking his head lightly as he wrapped an arm around Alastor's neck.  
"Y' know I don't care if ya say as few naughty words. I say 'em, so why would I care if you do? Besides..."  
the blonde tilted his head and leaned in closer, batting his lashes in a flirtatious sort of way.  
"I kinda like the idea of ya sayin' some nasty words. Makes my heart... _skip_."

Huffing a laugh now, Alastor almost felt a blush settling upon his cheeks. However, he would not be beaten so easily by Anthony's words.   
"Oh? Well then. Perhaps I should say nasty things more often."   
He replied with a small smirk, keeping eye contact with the blonde in an almost challenging way.   
"If it makes your heart skip, then I would say that's entirely worth it, hm?"

Anthony's smile widened, confident that Alastor was only bluffing.  
"I ain't gunna stop ya. I ain't scared. I'd love t' see what else ya got."  
He purred, stepping closer to press himself against his lover.

Chin raising now, smirk still very much there, Alastor's eyes narrowed as Anthony took a step closer.   
"You want to see what else I have?"   
He questioned, head tilting.   
"Why I'm sure you would, wouldn't you... well, that's quite a shame then."

Anthony couldn't help but laugh even as he spoke with a shake of his head.  
"It really is 'cause I know y' ain't got anythin' else!"  
He laughed then unwrapped his arm from Alastor's neck and stepped away.  
"Gotta say, you'd be good at bluffin' if I didn't know ya, ahaha!"  
He added, shifting to lean against the desk with a grin.

Clearing his throat with yet another eye roll, Alastor paused in thought for a moment before he took a step forward towards Anthony, leaning into his ear and whispering a few words- simply to prove his point. Had Anthony not have challenged him in such a way? Then Alastor most certainly would not have said such things without purpose. 

Anthony's brow raised as Alastor leaned in, keeping himself held strong.   
As soon as Alastor started to whisper though, his eyes widened slightly and his cocky grin was wiped from his face as he could feel the heat in his face start to build, his breath even getting caught.

Letting his whispered words linger for a moment or two, Alastor then pulled back, and just as if nothing had happened, he reached for the drawings again.

Anthony stood stiff now as Alastor pulled away, continuing on as if he hadn't just said those things.  
The blonde brought a hand up to his mouth and left out a nervous sort of laugh, eyes still wide.  
"Holy shit..."  
He breathed.  
"You're... oh God... you're serious? You'd actually-? Oh..."

Moving toward the bed now, Anthony took a seat. He felt as though he might faint from the sudden thoughts swirling around in his head just from Alastor's words alone. So terrifyingly heated.

"Now, these drawings."   
Alastor spoke cheerfully, however, as he took a seat at his desk now, his mischievous smirk was still very much there, even if Anthony couldn't see it.   
"I shall have to document what you say happened with the entity."   
He continued on, sliding his notebook over and picking up a pen.   
"I won't take long."

"Yeah, sure."  
Anthony said slowly and an equally slow nod.  
"Take as long as ya need 'cause... hoboy, I'm... I'm gunna need a minute or two t' clear my head..."  
He added as he brought a hand up to run through his hair, falling back against the mattress.

"Hm? Oh, that's certainly a shame. Why ever would you need to clear your head?"   
You could hear the grin in Alastor's voice as he opened the ink and dipped his pen in, getting to work on writing everything down in his notebook.

"Oh, I dunno. Just thoughts ya brought on that I shouldn't be havin' with other people in the house, _especially_ your ma."  
The blonde replied, staring up at the ceiling blankly, adding some rather dirty Italian under his breath.

It was nothing short of amusing to Alastor, to see Anthony like this; defeated but in the best of ways, of course.   
"Haha, simply do what I do, my dear. Block out those thoughts!"   
The brunette laughed now, hearing the muttered Italian, but not understanding it.

Anthony shot up into a sitting position, brows furrowed.  
"Yeah, it's _definitely_ that easy! Why didn't I think t' try that?"  
He laughed sarcastically.  
"Sorry, but I don't think I can."

Looking back over his shoulder for a moment, Alastor gave a shrug.   
"Well, I'm not sure what to tell you, my dear. I'm afraid I cannot help you there."   
He laughed again now, turning back again, knowing that the more he spoke, the more he was just getting under Anthony's skin.

Anthony glared at Alastor with narrowed eyes, biting his thumb at him before flopping back to lay down again. With those things said to him, it was going to be hard to keep himself from getting too excited. Well, he was already extremely excited, so it was going to be hard to come down from that.

Alastor continued writing for a few more moments before he casually looked back again, giving Anthony a smirk filled once over with his eyes before turning back again.  
"Take a cold shower if you must. I shall still be here when you come back, worry not."

Anthony inhaled deeply, thinking that suggestion over for a moment, then his own smirk formed.  
Sitting up and then standing, Anthony walked over to Alastor and stood behind him, bringing his hands up to massage his lover's arms and shoulders as he leaned down to whisper in his ear.  
"Only if ya come with me. Maybe y' could do some o' those things t' me while we're in there~"  
He purred, finishing that offer off with a playful bite to his lover's ear paired with a small growl.

Alastor was skeptical as Anthony stood, however, he found himself completely frozen when the Italian came to stand right behind his chair, whispering in his ear, and even going so far as to bite it. Alastor gulped, the tiny growl that Anthony had let out, echoing in his mind.

"Ahem- it's as you said. Not _possibly_ while Mama is home."   
Alastor cleared his throat, smirk having been completely wiped off his face now as he looked back at Anthony, their faces inches apart.

Anthony's smirk only grew, biting his lip with a bit of a smug nod as he stood upright again, leaving Alastor as he was.  
"That's what I thought."

Naturally, he felt accomplished, slapping the smugness off of Alastor's face so easily. He knew they wouldn't dare move forward in doing anything of that nature while Amélie was in the house.  
It was fun to be able to play a little though, throwing challenges at each other until one had no choice but to back down. Though, if Amélie wasn't home, he'd be more curious to see how far they would take their challenges.

A small frown settled across Alastor's face as Anthony pulled away in supposed victory, the brunette rolling his eyes once again at the state Anthony now had him in, even after such a small action.   
Muttering some annoyances in French to himself, Alastor simply continued to write and document his recent finding with the shadowed entity and presumed Djab.

"I'll be a minute."  
The blonde said as he went to the door, triumphant pride still shining as he did. The joy he got from leaving Alastor in such a state was satisfying to say the very least.  
"Have fun not thinkin' about it."  
He chuckled with a wink, now leaving the room and going to the bathroom.

Alastor watched as Anthony left the room, the brunette leaning back in his seat with a long sigh, bringing a hand to his face tiredly. He couldn't believe Anthony had outdone him like that. But he supposed with Anthony gone, and most likely for a while, Alastor had some time to actually work and finish writing all of his findings down.

Whistling a tune as he walked across the hall, Anthony closed the door behind him. His little trick never took longer than thirty seconds to a minute, so he was in and out as fast as anything.   
He could have done it in the bedroom, but he didn't want Alastor knowing the secret, wanting him to suffer instead.

Walking back to the room, Anthony hummed and opened the door, stepped in, and closed the door behind him again.  
"How goes the writin', amo?"  
He asked, tone nonchalant and unbothered.

Alastor looked to the door in somewhat disbelief as Anthony returned so quickly, the brunette raising a brow.   
"Are... you feeling better now?"   
He asked, somewhat skeptical as he lowered his pen, placing it to the side for now and putting the lid back on the ink so that it wouldn't dry out.

Anthony's brows raised in acknowledgment, sitting back down on the bed.  
"Hm? Oh, yeah, I'm feelin' great! Why? Somethin' botherin' ya?"

Alastor just shook his head, deciding to take a small break from writing. He couldn't do so while his mind was as clouded as it had now become, no thanks to Anthony.   
"No, nothing is bothering me at all."   
He replied.

Anthony tilted his head, knowing that wasn't entirely true.  
"If ya say so. Got anymore writin' done?"  
He asked, leaning forward a bit to look at the page Alastor had been writing on, his smirk returning as he caught sight of something else that was quite apparent from the corner of his eye, then looked at Alastor, his smirk growing.

Turning himself away from Anthony as he saw where his gaze fell briefly, Alastor once again clearing his throat as he pushed his notebook away from him.   
"Yes, a few notes."   
He spoke slowly.   
"I think I shall take a break for a moment. I'll come back to it later."

"Whatever ya want. We got all night."  
The blonde replied.  
"Y' want help with that though? Y' seem t' be havin' a hard time not thinkin'."

Alastor immediately found himself frowning at Anthony's offer, the man crossing his arms over his chest with a scoff.   
"And admit defeat? Anthony dearest, I thought you were smarter than that."   
Alastor laughed now, shaking his head.

Anthony chuckled too and shrugged, leaning back again.  
"Your plan of 'simply not thinking about it' doesn't seem t' be workin' for ya. So either y' ain't not thinkin' hard enough or you've actually been defeated."  
He stated.  
"But whether I help ya or not is completely up to you."  
He said as he laid back down.

Alastor was silent for a second, mulling over Anthony's words in his mind. His pride was on the line here, and as much as he didn't want to do anything about it himself, he was awfully uncomfortable like this. No amount of simply not thinking about it was going to work.  
"Well... perhaps you could."   
Alastor muttered, picking up a book now, deciding to try and read.

"Sorry, what was that? Y' gotta say with a pure heart that I win this one, Smiles."  
The blonde said as casually as he possibly could.

Alastor's eyes narrowed before he slowly turned around to glance at Anthony.   
"I suppose just this once..."   
He murmured.   
"You... win."   
It physically hurt him to say such a thing, the brunette's lips pursing together.


	59. Chapter 59

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, dearest readers!  
> Just a quick note before we continue on: for the month of January, we are going to take a break from posting to the public.  
> Due to the holidays, we haven't had time to write and edit as much as we would have liked, so we'll be taking the next month to get caught up and focus on Patreon.  
> Our Discord server will still be open to those who would like to join and our Patreon will definitely still be open as well in case there are those of you who still want something to read.  
> We apologize for our coming hiatus, but we can't wait to get back on track and keep providing a story you all seem to really enjoy! Thank you for sticking around this long!  
> Happy holidays and Happy New Year!  
> Stay safe out there.  
> ~T&K

~Sexual content~  
┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Friday, August 10th, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

"That wasn't so hard, was it?"  
Anthony grinned as he stood up from where he sat and walked over to his lover and crouched down before crawling into the small space under the desk.   
It was a good thing he was so thin and small, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to fit.

The blonde then shifted so that he was situated between Alastor's legs, looking up at him from his dark little space.  
"Just keep doin' whatever it is you were doin'. I'll just be down here."  
Anthony hummed as he brought his hands up to undo the buckle of Alastor's belt.

Gulping slightly as he realized what the blonde was doing, Alastor simply nodded. So long as they were quiet... he supposed he didn't see the harm in this.  
"Alright..."   
He breathed tiredly, putting his book down now. He doubted he would get very far with reading, so maybe writing would come easier.

Taking the cork from the ink again, the brunette picked up his pen and dipped it in, continuing to write down his thoughts on the entity.

As he worked on unbuttoning and unzipping Alastor's pants, Anthony bit his lip, feeling the prominent bulge underneath the fabric.  
Tapping Alastor's thigh to get him to lift himself slightly, the blonde then brought his lover's pants down just enough before pulling him out of his underwear.

Looking up at Alastor, Anthony took hold of the seemingly painful girth, tilting his head slightly as he leaned forward, only breathing against the shaft.  
"Tell me I won."  
He whispered, pressing his lips against Alastor's skin lightly as he kept his eyes up on him.

Alastor gasped softly as he felt cool fingers around him, the man grunting slightly as a response, trying to keep his focus away from that and on his writing.   
"Anthony-"   
He sighed, eyes flicking down to his lover and to what he was doing.   
"I already said that for you."

"You can do it one more time, can't ya?"  
Anthony breathed as he brought his tongue out, teasingly licking up the shaft for a split second.  
"I could stop, 'course, but this looks kinda painful and like it ain't gunna go away on its own."

Alastor felt his eyes close at merely the teasing lick.   
"Anthony-"   
He huffed again, knowing that he was doing this on purpose.   
"Fine. You. Win."   
He spoke through gritted teeth, grip on his pen tightening.

Anthony grinned with pride from hearing those words come from Alastor's very mouth.  
"Grazie, amore~"  
He sighed as he brought his lips up to Alastor's tip, opening and taking him into his mouth with a low and satisfied hum.  
It was kind of funny, how Alastor thought he'd be able to actually get anything done.

Alastor hummed in warm pleasure as Anthony took him into his mouth, the brunette's face scrunching slightly as he attempted to continue writing.   
"Thank you... mon amour."   
He sighed, dipping the pen back into the ink.

Anthony closed his eyes and focused on Alastor's needs, taking more of his cock into his mouth with a soft moan.  
It was rather interesting; if Alastor hadn't whispered those things to prove himself, this situation probably wouldn't have occurred in the first place.

Alastor took a breath, the pen shaking in his left hand as he felt the blonde's mouth moving further down his cock. His lover's mouth felt like absolute heaven to him, Anthony's tongue like a hot and wet cushion against him, Alastor's hips canting forwards slightly as he groaned.

All good signs, Anthony knowing he was doing well, though Alastor might have been a little too loud. If his mother was to come up and happen to walk past the door, she'd undoubtedly hear something.  
So, after slowly pulling away, Anthony reached a hand up and pressed a finger to Alastor's lips.  
"Shhh, amore..."  
He lulled softly before taking him back into the moist heat of his mouth.

Taking another breath, Alastor nodded, bringing his bandaged hand up to his mouth to silence himself a little. With his other hand, he let the pen drop, it rolling against the desk a moment before stopping.   
"Sorry, m-mon amour..."   
He groaned very gently now.

With his right hand now free, Alastor softly guided it down to rest upon the top of Anthony's head. His fingers began to carefully lace through blonde locks as his lover's mouth closed around his cock again.

Anthony sighed, bobbing his head a few times before pulling off again.  
"Why don't 'cha write down everythin' you wanna do t' me? Vulgarities 'n all. Just as ya whispered t' me."  
He purred with a grin.  
"Just so we don't forget next time we get the chance. Some of it sounded..."  
He paused, bringing his tongue out again to lick his lover from base to tip then spoke again.  
"... _incredibly tempting~_ "

With another lick, he continued.  
"Write about how y' wanna bend me over the desk, just like y' said..."  
He almost moaned at the mere thought. Obviously, his trick didn't last long, those thoughts running rampant in his mind again.  
To quiet himself, Anthony took Alastor's cock deep in his mouth again.

Alastor felt his face quickly heating as Anthony repeated some of the words that he'd spoken to him earlier.   
"Write down such vulgar things? Never, my dear."   
He breathed again, eyes closing once more as he continued to run his fingers gently through Anthony's hair, pushing his head down slightly.   
"Better keep that mouth of yours from running on too much..."   
Alastor spoke, a small smirk rising to his face at the sound of the gentle moan that left Anthony's lips.

Due to his head being pushed, Anthony's eyes squeezed shut as he tried to keep himself from gagging, Alastor's cock scraping the back of his throat and just over halfway down his shaft.   
The comment managed to make him moan though, the vibrations quickly moving through his lover's cock and adding stimulation.  
The idea of being told to shut up and having something shoved into his mouth was going to be added to Anthony's list without question.

Letting his head roll back slightly, feeling the tip of his cock scraping Anthony's throat, Alastor finally let out a moan, pressing his hand closer against his mouth to try and quieten himself. He was already so heated, so he wasn't sure how long he could last, already feeling the tip starting to leak precum.

Hearing the moan was confirmation that Alastor liked that little move, and Anthony didn't mind keeping that going for him.   
Bringing his hands up, he held Alastor's thighs from the inside and continued with letting the tip hit his throat; of course, gagging a little each time, but he made sure to be quiet about it.

Alastor, despite his hand against his mouth, couldn't help but continually groan and moan, however, he made sure to keep them down as much as he could. Breathing becoming a little more labored, he pushed Anthony's head down a little more, just to see how far the blonde could go.

Eyes squeezing tighter, Anthony held his breath and let himself be pushed, his nails digging into Alastor's thighs the more he took.  
He didn't get very far, unfortunately, tapping his lover's leg to get him to let go.

When Anthony began to visibly choke and tap at his leg, the brunette instantly removed his hand, letting the other pull off rather quickly with a few strings of mixed saliva and precum keeping them connected, the blonde coughing lightly and holding his throat.

Catching his breath for a moment, Alastor let his hand move to Anthony's lips, wiping at some saliva there.   
"A-Are you alright? I'm sorry if I pushed you."   
Alastor spoke through a groan, the cool air a hard contrast to the heat of Anthony's mouth.

Anthony cleared his throat once more with a small wave of his hand.  
"I'm alright, don't worry."  
He said as he wiped his chin with the back of his hand.  
"Kinda pushed myself too. Wanted t' see how far I could get."  
He chuckled nervously as he then licked Alastor's cock more or less clean of the excess moisture.

"So long as you don't hurt yourself."   
Alastor nodded, trying to see if he could focus back on writing again now that the pleasure wasn't as intense, even if the licks to his cock did feel beyond pleasurable to him regardless.

"I'll be alright."  
Anthony hummed, placing a few small kisses leading up to his lover's tip before taking him into his mouth again, just not nearly as far as he had just been, but only for a moment and then pulled off again with a _pop_ and a smirk.  
"Why don't 'cha tell me some more things y' wanna do t' me?~"  
He cooed softly.

With how brief Anthony held Alastor in his mouth, it barely gave the man the time to process the pleasure. However, at Anthony's request, even then, he was somewhat hesitant to do so.   
"Mon amour, are my lingering words from earlier not enough?"   
He spoke through increasingly labored breaths.

Anthony tilted his head slightly and only let his lips brush against Alastor's shaft.  
"Don't 'cha want me t' finish you off? Or was my little tease just enough for ya t' 'stop thinkin' about it'?"

Alastor let his eyes close once more, feeling himself so close now- just a little bit further.  
"Please..."   
He whispered, hips shifting from where he sat in his seat, not really wanting to take matters into his own hands- _literally_ , however, if Anthony continued to simply tease him, then he feared he might have to.

Anthony sighed and rolled his eyes.  
"Alright, alright. Fine. Y' ain't fun."  
He muttered, taking Alastor back into his mouth and carefully bobbing his head, taking more into the back of his throat like before, but not too far; just enough that he knew he would be able to handle.

Alastor chuckled slightly at that, however cut himself off with a low moan as Anthony's throat and mouth closed around his length, his tongue flicking around bringing Alastor right to the edge now.   
"U-Use your hand too-"   
He moaned out, face red and nose scrunched up in pleasure.

Now that was something Anthony hadn't thought of, and it was genius. So, bringing his hand up, he gripped whatever he wasn't able to fit in his mouth and pumped his fist in time with the movements of his head. He made sure to look up at his lover as he performed, watching the expressions on Alastor's face and taking note of which expressions he'd seen before during their previous fornications as well as the new expressions and the amount of red that washed over his perfectly tanned skin. Flawlessly beautiful.

That was all that Alastor needed. The knot that had been ferociously building and tightening in the pit of his stomach finally came undone under all of the pleasurable sensations Anthony was able to provide. Feeling his cock thickening, precum continuing to leak, once again did Alastor throw his head back, free hand gripping the edge of his desk and hips jolting forwards. With a moan that was perhaps a little louder than intended, cum began to spurt from his cock, spilling hotly into Anthony's mouth.

The blonde's eyes rolled back and closed as he started to feel his mouth fill. He should have been able to read the signs but he seemed to find himself lost in the beauty of his lover's pleasured perfection, proud of himself for being able to bring him to that point at least.   
Unfortunately, Anthony didn't know what to do from here aside from keep his lips wrapped around the tip of Alastor's cock to hold all of the cum in, not wanting to spit it out and make a mess everywhere.  
So, he slowly opened his eyes and looked up at his lover in hopes he'd be able to read his eyes and suggest something.

Basking in the afterglow for a few seconds, Alastor had to take a moment after that to simply regain his breath and sense of self. Soon enough, he let his eyes open again and relaxed his grip on the edge of the desk.

"Mon amour..."   
Alastor breathed as he raised his head to look down at his lover, still feeling his mouth around him. His lover wasn't moving from that spot though, simply looking up at him as if he was trying to say something.

It was then that Alastor realized what Anthony was trying to get across.   
"Oh-"   
He began, looking around the room as if there would be anything.   
"Perhaps if you ran to the bathroom quickly and spat? I'll get you a new toothbrush if you wish."

Anthony listened to his lover's words, however, the inner corners of his brows turned upward and his eyes closed as he tightened his lips around Alastor's cock with a bit of added suction. He then started to pull himself off in a way that would allow him to keep the mess contained.

As soon as they were separated, Anthony brought a hand to his mouth and was about to start working his way out from under the desk, but he froze with widened eyes as a faint gulping sound emitted from his throat.  
The blonde's widened green pools slowly moved up to look at Alastor, hand still to his mouth.

Giving a small grunt as Anthony pulled off his cock, thankfully not letting anything spill, Alastor carefully began to pull his pants back up again. However, of course, he too heard the gulping sound as Anthony began to get out from underneath the desk.   
Pausing what he was doing, Alastor slowly looked down at Anthony again, a slight expression of disbelief upon his face.   
"Did.... did you just _swallow_ that, my dear?"   
He asked, brow raised.

There was a pause of silence between them as Anthony processed what he'd just done with the hand still to his mouth.  
"I panicked..."  
He whispered.  
"I panicked and it just... happened-"

He could still feel the gooeyness coating his mouth and started to noticed the feeling of it coating his throat now too. The taste wasn't unpleasant, but it wasn't exactly pleasant either. It wasn't something he could really compare to anything.

"Oh God, I swallowed it-"  
He muttered with wide eyes looking down at the floor, his stomach tightening at the mere thought.

Finishing buckling up his belt again, Alastor sat up a bit in his chair now, offering a hand up to Anthony to help him stand.   
"I'm sure it's... fine? I can't imagine that it's dangerous?"   
He questioned, not having known that Anthony was going to actually swallow it.   
"You can still use a new toothbrush though. There should be some in the bathroom."

Anthony grabbed Alastor's hand and accepted the help, making sure he didn't smack his head off the desk on his way up.  
He took a deep breath and tried to keep himself calm.  
"Yeah... no, it should be fine. I'll be alright. I've had it in me b'fore, just... not that end."  
He cleared his throat and ran his fingers through his own hair.  
"So, ah..."  
He paused with a bit of a smirk.  
"Y' wanna kiss?"

Chuckling a little at Anthony's words, Alastor couldn't help but raise a brow at the very obvious smirk that pulled up the blonde's lips.   
"Oh?"   
He asked, knowing very well where Anthony's mouth had just been. But regardless, his lips were irresistible.   
Leaning forwards, Alastor pressed the tiniest of pecks to Anthony's lips with a smirk of his own.  
"Happy?"

He wasn't expecting Alastor to go anywhere near his mouth let alone actually kiss him, even if it was a tiny peck.  
Anthony shrugged and smiled.  
"Happy? Sure. Less disgustin'? A little. Satisfied? Eh. Gunna have t' go take care of my own problem _again_ , and soap out my mouth 'cause I don't think toothpaste is gunna be enough."

Alastor's eyes narrowed a little as he cleared his throat, standing slowly from his chair now.   
"And how _did_ you take care of that before? I do believe you were gone for a mere total of just over a minute."   
He asked, running a hand through his hair and moving towards his bedroom door.   
"I shall show you where the toothbrushes are too."

Anthony followed behind, keeping his hands in his pockets.  
"That's somethin' I ain't sharin'. It's a secret."  
He said with a smirk. He really couldn't wait to get his mouth clean though, so that would probably be the first thing he did.

"Is it now? Well, I'm sure I'll get it out of you one way or another."   
Alastor muttered, slowly opening his bedroom door and looking out into the hallway. His mother was most probably still downstairs, which was good.   
Walking across the hallway into the bathroom, Alastor held the door open for Anthony just as he turned the light on.

"You can try if ya wanna, but my lips are sealed until the proper incentive is provided."  
Anthony grinned, stepping into the bathroom and removing his hands from his pockets to stretch his arms up over his head.

" _Incentive_?"   
Alastor questioned, closing the door behind them and walking over to the cabinet that was in the bathroom.   
"And what sort of incentive did you have in mind?"   
Rummaging around, it didn't take Alastor long to find a new toothbrush. Sliding open the little box it came in, he then handed it over to Anthony.

Taking the toothbrush, the blonde shrugged again.  
"I got nothin' in mind particularly. If ya come up with somethin' though, go ahead and offer it, but there's no guarantee it'll work."  
He chuckled as he turned to the sink and looked at himself in the mirror, fixing the collar of his shirt a bit.

With a shrug now, Alastor settled on leaning against the wall, fixing his own tie a bit.   
"I'm sure it's quite a useful thing to know, so perhaps I will think of something that you'd want."

Anthony grabbed the toothpaste and started preparing his toothbrush.  
"Just gunna stand there and see what I do? Y' see the flaws in that plan, right?"  
He chuckled, running the brush under the tap for a moment, and then opened his mouth, sticking the bristles into his mouth, and began brushing his teeth thoroughly.

Alastor shrugged again, looking nonchalantly around the room.  
"Do I see any flaws? Not particularly, no. There's always the possibility you walk away, but that wouldn't really be in your favor now, would it?"

Anthony brows furrowed, pushing the toothbrush into his cheek so he could speak.  
"Al, babe, eventually it's just gunna go away on its own. So, y' know..."  
He paused to remove the toothbrush and spit into the sink.  
"I'll probably suffer a little longer than I would if I did my little magic trick, but either way, it ain't gunna be around forever."  
He then put the toothbrush back in his mouth and continued brushing.

Alastor was mid eye roll when a smirk rose to his face.   
"So... that will mean you lose."   
He stated rather simply, arms folding over his chest.   
"By you suffering, even for a little bit, that means I win. I got what I, more or less, wanted out of this situation. And you did not."

Anthony's vigorous brushing ceased abruptly, pausing as he processed the details being laid out in front of him.  
"Okay, hold on a minute."  
He said, taking the toothbrush out of his mouth again and spitting.  
"Don't get too far ahead of yourself here, alright?"  
He began, licking his lips and wiping his mouth while pointing the toothbrush at Alastor.  
"I offered t' help ya, you said yes, I laid out my terms and conditions, you agreed and provided by sayin' I won, I took that win, and then provided my services in exchange for that victory. Not t' mention ya kinda got it all in my mouth, causin' me t' panic and _swallow it_. I think I rightfully deserve this one and I stand by that."

Grin growing a little wider now, Alastor took a step forward so he was no longer leaning against the wall.   
"Well, perhaps I take back what I said then. I made no promises there, now did I, my darling? I by no means said you _had_ to swallow. You simply could have pulled away at any time."

"Okay, yeah, I coulda, but I was focused on watchin' your face t' make sure I was doin' it right, so I was a little distracted."  
Anthony said in an attempt to defend himself.  
"I ain't givin' this up. I won. Y' said so. I'm takin' it. End of story. Close the book and put it back on the shelf."  
He huffed, spitting into the sink once more, then rinsed the toothbrush off and set it aside.

"Oh, you were doing it right, alright."   
Alastor murmured, arms folding across his chest once again.   
"What if I was to... pick up that book off of the shelf, flick to the first few pages and see that I had always won from the beginning? From the very moment I first whispered those vulgar things into your ear, hm?"   
Now that he'd found this sort of loophole, Alastor was absolutely going to keep going until he was satisfied.

"No. Put the book back down and step away from the shelf. I'm steppin' in front of the shelf so y' can't go rewritin' history. I win and you're gunna have t' pry the victory from my cold. Dead. Hands!"  
With that, Anthony turned to the door, swung it open, and ran out to escape with his metaphorical prize of victory tight in his grasp.

A soon as Anthony ran for the door, Alastor was right behind him, his reaction time relatively quick as he bolted after the blonde who fortunately only made it halfway across the hallway.   
Not even thinking about his injured hand, Alastor reached out for his lover with a chuckle and pulled him into his arms.   
"Not today, my dear."   
He laughed, scooping the blond up with both arms and holding him against his chest as he turned right back towards the bathroom.   
"Better be quiet, don't want Mama coming up here, asking what's happening."   
Closing the bathroom door with his foot, Alastor quickly placed Anthony down, however, as he did, he made sure to pin the blonde against the door, smirk as wide as ever.   
"Oh look. _Another_ win for me."

Yet another scenario where Anthony felt like the prey, eyes widening as he was scooped up and suddenly pinned against the door by his wrists.  
"Y' didn't win _shit_ and y' damn well know it-"  
He spat back as he tried to free himself despite knowing he wasn't going to win this one. As soon as he accepted this, he stopped squirming and let out a few heavy breaths. Now for another challenge, it seemed.  
"What're y' gunna do, Al? Y' ain't won this by a _long_ shot. Y' got me against the door but that's _it_."

"Guess I'll simply have to keep you here then until you admit defeat. That's fine."   
He grinned, loosening his grip on Anthony just a little once the blonde stopped squirming, but he didn't let up much.   
"You must know by now, my dear, that I'm willing to play dirty when need be? This _is_ me we're talking about."

"Ohoho, really? That's cute."  
Anthony chuckled.  
"Do whatever y' want t' me, I ain't admittin' nothin'. Also, there's only one bathroom in this house and I'm pretty sure the other person that lives here is gunna need it at some point, plus you're probably gunna get tired eventually and wanna sleep. I got no problem with bein' here, so really, who's holdin' who hostage?"

There was a brief moment of silence, and for a second, it seemed as if Alastor was going to admit defeat.   
Without warning, he let go of Anthony's arm with his left hand and instead rummaged around in his pocket before quickly drawing his knife, smirk wide upon his face.   
"How about _this_?"   
Waving the blade slowly in front of Anthony's face, Alastor leaned in, gently nibbling the blonde's earlobe, just as he had done to Alastor earlier.   
"Is _this_ a good enough incentive for you?"

Anthony watched the blade with a raised brow, his smile only growing as he let out another laugh.  
"I ain't scared, Al. Not of you and definitely not a knife."

If it wasn't for the fact that Amélie was home, he would have easily turned the tables and would have had Alastor on the floor already. Of course, that would make quite the noise, so he knew he couldn't. Not to mention that he was actually having fun with this.

Biting his lip, the blonde purred.  
"If anythin', it makes me want ya _more~_ "  
To punctuate his intense arousal, Anthony pushed his hips forward in hopes he would be able to reach Alastor so he could feel what he was causing.

Gently running the flat side of the cold blade against Anthony's cheek, not daring to cut him at all, Alastor's eyes narrowed slightly. He knew very well what this was doing to Anthony, feeling the results of his actions as Anthony pushed his hips forward, only drawing out more of a chuckle from Alastor who pushed himself away teasingly.

"I _know_ you do."   
Alastor purred back, gently dragging the flat side of the knife down Anthony's cheek and down his jaw.

Anthony groaned in mild frustration and let out a huff of breath.  
"Don't be shy, Al. Cut me. Y' know I ain't gunna stop ya."  
He breathed out, biting his lip a bit.  
"Draw the fresh blood I know y' like t' see. Feel the warmth of it on your hands."

His breathing was becoming heavy, his desires and needs becoming more and more intense at the feeling of the icy blade against his skin.   
His pure masochistic side was starting to show and he was starting to lose himself to it.

" _Do it~_ "  
Anthony chuckled out once more.

Alastor let his eyes close as he slowly dragged the knife a little further down, right to Anthony's jawline, twisting the blade so that the pointed edge was resting right against pale skin. Anthony's encouraging words weren't helping either, only pushing Alastor closer and closer to harm- but he sounded like he _really_ wanted it.

Opening his eyes slowly, Alastor gently pushed the blade forwards and across, the smallest of slices being made right against Anthony's jaw. Lowering the blade, Alastor watched as the skin reddened and the tiniest smudge of blood rose to the surface.

Feeling the blade penetrate his skin, the blonde tilted his head up and to the side to expose more of himself, eyes rolled back with a sharp inhale followed by a trembling exhale, his body tensing slightly and then relaxing.  
Anthony's smirk turned into a grin as the blood came through and painfully slowly started to glide down his neck.

His eyes found Alastor again and narrowed slightly.  
"Keep goin'..."  
He whispered.

Watching as the tiny drop of blood dripped down the crease of Anthony's neck, Alastor slowly leaned forwards again, tongue catching the drop before it got to Anthony's collarbone. With a breath of his own, Alastor pulled back again, eyes closed as he brought the blade down further, pressing the cold tip right into Anthony's collarbone now, letting the sharp metal pierce through the fragile skin above the bone in a clean, thin slice.

Anthony's breath continued to tremble, biting his lip to keep himself quiet with that grin still wide, a quiet moan escaping regardless of his efforts. His hips jolted forward a bit as his erection became harder and more desperate for attention.   
It was getting to the point that his trick wasn't going to work if he was left like this.

Alastor hissed out a breath at the moan that was drawn from Anthony, and this time as the blonde pressed his hips forwards, Alastor didn't move backward.   
Dragging the knife along, Alastor continued to make the slice longer and longer until the thin streak of red stretched across the entire right side of Anthony's collarbone.

Anthony closed his eyes and clenched his teeth, knowing he couldn't make much noise unless they wanted to get caught. It was difficult with the attention he was getting to his nether regions as he started grinding against Alastor, so he did his best and kept biting his lip as the blood started coming through the small slits in his skin.

"I want you t' f-"  
Anthony stopped mid-sentence, eyes opening wide as the sound of the stairs creaking as the very person they were trying to hide from, made her way up.   
Any sense of time had long since been lost, but Amélie must have been either going to bed or was in need of the bathroom; the latter not being an ideal situation to find themselves in.

Alastor paused at the sound of the floorboards creaking, his hand gripping the knife tightening as he slowly pulled it away from Anthony's skin. The anticipation from what the blonde was about to say quickly fizzled out as Alastor quickly stood upright, letting go of Anthony, their hips disconnecting.

"Stay here."   
Alastor spoke quickly, retracing the knife back into his pocket, straightening out himself and flinging the door open once his lover was clear before stepping out.

Anthony covered his mouth and nodded, closing his eyes as he stepped away from the door to let Alastor out.

Amélie just made it to the top of the stairs as Alastor came out, her brows raising slightly when she saw him closing the bathroom door behind him.  
"Oh, I was just about to go to bed. Is everything alright? The two of you have been awfully quiet."  
She commented as she pulled her shawl further up over her shoulders.

Alastor gave his mother a smile paired with a simple nod, motioning towards the bathroom behind him.   
"Yes, everything's fine. Anthony wasn't feeling too well, so I brought him to the bathroom. We'll both have an early night tonight I think."   
He replied as calmly as ever, a warm smile wide upon his face.   
"I presume you have to work tomorrow morning? In which case, you should get some sleep too, Mama. Anthony will be fine; I'm tending to him."

"Is Anthony alright? Is there anything I can do?"  
Amélie asked as she took a few steps toward Alastor and the bathroom door that he stood close to.  
"I have an early morning tomorrow, yes, but my day is mostly clear, so rest can wait if need be."

"Nothing that I already haven't done, I'm afraid. He should be better by morning."   
Alastor nodded again, not moving from where he stood.   
"Regardless, you need your rest, Mama. _Especially_ if you are to be working early tomorrow. I shall give Anthony painkillers if need be, and then as I said, we'll both be off to bed."

Amélie stopped where she was and slowly nodded.  
"Well, if it turns out the two of you have to stay home tomorrow, I'll be happy to pick up the photographs for you."  
She said with a smile.  
"If you need anything through the night, you know where to find me."  
She added as she turned and headed for her bedroom, stopping once more before going in and closing the door behind her.  
"Sleep well, both of you."

"Of course, I'll let you know. Goodnight, Mama."   
Offering the woman a small wave, Alastor waited until the door of her bedroom door had closed. When it had, Alastor's smile quickly widened, the corners of his mouth pushing up all the way as he turned on his heels and just like that, was opening the door to the bathroom.

When the door opened again, Anthony held himself hunched over the bathroom sink, shirt open due to the fact he didn't want to get blood on it, one hand gripping the edge of the sink and the other hand pressed against his mouth. He didn't want to so much as breathe while Alastor was out of the room and talking with his mother.   
His unfortunate arousal was too far in to be able to fight it off with sheer willpower and he wasn't about to pull himself out and deal with it with Amélie practically right outside the door.

Upon hearing the door open, Anthony pulled his hand away from his mouth and gripped the other side of the sink with it, cheeks red and breath finally being let free, however, he kept his head down, his blonde hair covering his eyes.

Making sure the door was properly closed behind him, Alastor slowly strode over to where Anthony was hunched over the sink, the mischievous smirk only growing upon his face.   
"Let me help you, my dear~"   
Alastor almost purred as he wrapped his left arm around Anthony's torso, pressing himself up against the others back.   
"You best be quiet though. We don't want to be making _too_ much noise."   
And his right hand? Painstakingly slowly, Alastor began to trail it down the blonde's body, eventually making it to the very prominent bulge in the front of his lover's pants.

As he felt Alastor move in behind him, his head raised and he was able to make eye contact with his lover through the mirror, feeling his body pressed up against his back. With parted lips as he forced his breathing under control, he watched Alastor's hand move lower down his torso.  
The blonde leaned his head back against Alastor's shoulder but kept his eyes open and watched the brunette's expressions, clenching his teeth to stop a whine from escaping as his erection was finally reached.

Alastor was absolutely ecstatic that he could get Anthony in such a state, and now it was only a matter of savoring it. He knew this image would be ingrained in his mind for a very long time.

Keeping eye contact with Anthony through the mirror, watching his lovers every expression, Alastor made sure to be watching as his left hand grasped at his lover's seemingly painful erection over all his clothing still, the brunette palming him roughly as he breathed against Anthony's neck.   
"Admit defeat if you want my help~"

Anthony's back arched from the roughness against his body, but the demand made him clench his teeth.   
This scenario was actually something he liked, but to forfeit his victory was something he wasn't sure would be worth it.

"Why don't 'cha make me?"  
He replied with a tilt of his head, a small smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"Ah ah ah."   
Alastor tutted, his smirk almost sadistic now. Just as quickly as his hand had begun to please Anthony, it was pulling away, resting against the edge of the sink now.   
"You want me to _make_ you?"   
He repeated, humming in thought as if he were mulling the idea over in his brain.   
"Why Anthony darling-"   
Leaning closer, Alastor darted his tongue out, gently dragging it across the shell of Anthony's ear.  
"That would be giving you what you want~"

The blonde shuddered and gulped, but he didn't cave in just yet.  
"I ain't givin' up just t' get off, y' know."  
He chuckled, lifting his head and shifting his weight so he wasn't leaning against Alastor.  
"I got my own hands that'll do just fine, so y' gotta fight me t' win. I ain't just gunna lay down and let it happen."

Alastor chuckled deeply, slowly pulling his mouth away from Anthony's ear.   
"You'd _really_ do that right here, hm?"   
He smiled, noticing the way that Anthony's body shuddered and his adam's apple bobbed as he gulped.   
"Even when I could do a much better job for you?"

Anthony huffed and smirked.  
"I'll do what I can for myself, but I ain't lettin' ya take a win from me so easily."  
He replied as he brought his right hand to the front of his pants and padding at the bulge there with a slow, deep inhale, making sure to keep his eyes locked with Alastor. He's wouldn't back down so easily.

"Even with the temptation of me being right here?"   
Alastor asked as he extended a finger and ran it across the scratch mark he'd made with the knife earlier against Anthony's jaw.   
"You'd take a win over your own needs? I doubt your own methods would be even a fraction of the satisfaction I could provide, my darling~"

Anthony lifted his chin and chuckled, shaking his head.  
"I told ya. Y' gotta fight me for it. If I gotta do it all myself, fine. I'm willin' t' make that sacrifice and look ya right in the face while I do."  
He stated with that hungry grin, his thumb and forefinger plucking the button on his pants free.

Pressing himself a little further up against Anthony now, Alastor let his hand rest over the blonde's that had just undone the button on his pants.   
"Do you not want it, Anthony?~"   
Alastor purred, moving the other's hand out the way slightly as he let it dip inside his pants.

Anthony gulped again and lowered his head.  
"I do, but are y' gunna make me give it up, or are y' gunna sit back and let me have this?"  
He asked breathlessly, his hips unsure of what they wanted to do. He wanted to push himself back into Alastor but he also wanted to push himself forward into his hand.

He could tell how conflicted Anthony was over something so trivial such as this, and it amused Alastor to no end. So, naturally, he decided to both drag it out and tease Anthony with it a little. Payback of sorts for the way that Anthony had made him crumble earlier.

"Go on then."   
Alastor spoke simply, removing his hand from Anthony's pants.   
"Do it yourself if you must."   
However, there was the biggest smirk upon his face, a plan fully formed in his mind now. Anthony would be begging.

The blonde sighed silently and tilted his head back.  
"Fine."  
He breathed out as he brought his hands back to the front of his pants and hooked his thumbs over the edge of his them and underwear, pulling down until his cock sprung free from its prison.   
Anthony kept his eyes locked with Alastor's as he gripped himself, wincing at the raw and unfiltered friction to his skin, then started to pump his fist. It definitely wasn't the same thing and it was certainly lacking.

Alastor could see from Anthony's face alone that it was lacking in every sense of pleasure, however, he decided to draw it out for a bit. Letting the Italian continue with that for a few moments, Alastor watching hungrily, he soon decided to step in and get his plans set in motion.   
It was as much torture for Anthony as it was for Alastor watching, clearly.

"Hm, I'm kidding my dear~"   
Alastor purred again, stepping forwards and resting his hand on top of Anthony's that was pumping away uncomfortably at his painful erection.   
"I won't force you to give up your win."  
Extending his index finger, with a small chuckle Alastor let it teasingly circle the tip of Anthony's cock, keeping his eye contact through the mirror.   
"You'll do it willingly~"

Anthony hissed and huffed lightly, his body jolting slightly at the contact but let a smirk form.  
"Make it worth my time and I'll make it worth yours~"  
He moaned out just above a whisper, not wanting to alert Amélie of their activities.  
Slowing to a stop, Anthony glanced down and watched Alastor's hand closely, biting his lip in anticipation as he met his lover's gaze in the mirror once more. He was curious to see how this was going to play out.

Continuing to circle his finger around Anthony's tip teasingly, Alastor let his lips find Anthony's ear again, nibbling lightly down on the lobe.   
"I'll make it worth your time, don't you worry my love~"

"Go on then."  
Anthony whispered, watching Alastor in the mirror and seeing the look he was giving him. It was something you'd imagine a predator would look at its prey through the bushes as it closed in; eyes piercing, fierce, and determined.  
"Do your worst, amore~"

That, to Alastor, was again some form of challenge. A challenge that he was going to this time by all means win. Even if he had to play dirty to do so.   
"Oh, I intend to~"  
With Anthony's hands now out of the way, Alastor was able to grip his lover's erection in its entirety now. Sure, he only had one abled hand to do all of this with right now, but that didn't matter too much.

Slowly, Alastor began to pump his hand up and down, however, he made sure to be doing it slower than Anthony had been doing to himself. Twisting his fist around the tip on every upward stroke, he leaned his face in a little more to Anthony's neck, nibbling a few kisses there.

With the grip replaced by one that wasn't his own, Anthony's body tensed and shook against his lover. The fact that he didn't have control over anything that was happening only made the experience all the more enjoyable.   
Letting his gaze fall to watch Alastor's hand with a bit of slack-jaw, his breathing picking up in pace, the tip of his cock leaking into his lover's palm as natural lubrication.

"Al~"  
He breathed with a hint of a whimper, his hips bucking forward into Alastor's hand in hopes it would get him to move a little faster or grip a little tighter.

Alastor graciously did just so. Making sure he was catching every single one of Anthony's expressions through the mirror, he gripped the other's cock a little tighter, using his precum to his advantage.   
"Anthony~"   
He breathed heatedly against the blonde's neck.

Letting his hands wander, Anthony let them find their way back to hold Alastor's hips. He had to bite his lip to stop himself from being too loud with even his breathing. His eyes moved up to the mirror again, catching Alastor's stare which caused his breath to hitch.  
"Please~"  
He managed to get out in a whispered voice.

Alastor sped up his pumps a little, tightening his grip as he stroked Anthony faster, eyes briefly closing as he basked in every tiny gasp and slight whine that Anthony let out.   
"Please what?"   
Alastor asked with a small tilt of his head, not exactly knowing what Anthony was begging for.

Anthony didn't exactly know either, but the increase in speed seemed to be enough to satisfy his unknown desires.  
Clenching his teeth as his entire body started to heat up, the blonde squeezed his eyes shut and leaned his upper body back against his lover, and pushed his pelvis forward. His hands starting to grip and claw at Alastor's hips all the more.

"Oh, _God_ yes!~"  
Anthony hissed out as quietly as he could. His head tilted back and rested on Alastor's shoulder.

Alastor let Anthony claw at his hips as he pleased, still not relenting the pace of his closed fist around Anthony's cock.   
"I bet that feels good, hm?~"   
He purred.

Just as Anthony's whimpers and whines began to get louder, more and more precum spilling down into Alastor's hand as the brunette felt his lover thickening in his grip, Alastor simply let go. Unclenching his fist, the brunette instead took to reaching for Anthony's right hand, holding it behind his back now.   
"What a shame~"

Anthony could feel the knot in the pit of his stomach tightening and nearly ready to let go, however, he was released before he could release; his cock left to twitch and leak freely in the cold air, begging and crying for attention.  
Leaning forward, Anthony gripped the edge of the sink with his head hanging forward.  
"Damn it-"  
He managed to let out through his panting.

Chuckling nothing short of sadistically, Alastor took a step back again, watching as Anthony panted and squirmed.   
"Of course, there is one other way for me to let you achieve what you desire... and I'm sure you already know what that is."

Anthony gulped between his continued panting, lifting his head again and looking at Alastor through the mirror.  
Bringing his right hand forward, he gripped himself and started pumping his fist, trying to recreate the same sensations Alastor provided, but unfortunately, it was no use.   
Alastor's hand was bigger and the lack of control Anthony had with his lover taking action, this just didn't suffice.

"Shit!"  
He whispered, letting go after a moment.  
"Please, Al..."

Alastor laughed again, the amusement clear on his face as Anthony failed to bring himself pleasure where Alastor could.   
"You can plead all you want, my love... but you know what words will only get you what you want."   
Stepping forward now, Alastor took hold of Anthony's right hand, stopping him from stroking himself any more.   
"Just say the words~"

It seemed that begging wasn't going to get him anywhere, but Anthony still didn't want to let go of his win. He was so proud to have been able to actually win against someone after always being the one to back down before he could get even a taste of victory.

He looked down at himself, seeing just how desperate he was to cum with how red he was.   
Maybe just a few more attempts.  
The blonde turned himself around so he could face his sadistic bastard of a lover.  
"Please, Al... I'll give ya anythin' else y' want."  
He pleaded, looking Alastor directly in the eyes.

As Anthony turned around to face him, Alastor raised a brow, looking down at his lover's arousal.   
"Oh, I know you would, but you see, there's only _one_ thing I want right now."   
He continued on with that chuckle, keeping his unwavering eye contact with Anthony as he slowly lowered himself onto his knees.

Anthony took a small step back, pressing himself into the sink. At first, he thought that Alastor was getting on his knees to beg, but knowing Alastor, he would never _ever_ do such a thing; which meant there was only one other possibility.

"Al...?"  
He could feel his cheeks turning red, hands tightly holding onto the lip of the sink behind him.

"Hm?"   
Alastor hummed back in response, keeping eye contact with his lover as he gingerly reached forward for Anthony's length, letting his breath linger against it as he watched precum leaking from the tip from out of the corner of his eye.

He in all honestly hadn't the slightest clue what to do, so, he was just going to do as Anthony had done to him earlier- and he would avoid catching his teeth on anything. Alastor presumed that would be quite painful.

Anthony didn't know what to do or how to react, so, he decided to play a little dumb.  
"What, ah... what 'cha doin' down there?"  
He asked, his legs shaking slightly in anticipation as the heated breath skimmed across his skin.

Alastor, of course, saw right through his lover, however, decided to throw those words right back at him.   
"What do you mean, my dear?"   
He asked, breaking eye contact for a moment as he stuck out his tongue and carefully licked the tip of Anthony's cock.   
"I'm just down here, trying to get a win for myself."

For a moment, the blonde's breath ceased as he kept himself from moaning out. He had never gotten attention like this before, his cock never having been inside of anything except for his hand. It was close to Alastor's mouth once, but nothing more.

"P-Playin' dirty, huh?"  
Anthony huffed once he figured out how to use his lungs and voice again.  
"Keep tryin', babe. Ain't gunna work-"  
That was a bit of a lie. Anthony wanted to cum already and his arousal was already painful, but he did want Alastor to work for the win.

"Really?"   
Alastor spoke, parting his lips now only to place them just barely around the tip of Anthony's cock, the man creating the lightest of suctions before pulling away.

Anthony brought a hand up to cover his mouth at the new sensation. It was divine and made him leak more.

"If there's no chance that I'll win, then... I suppose I will take my leave then."   
Alastor sighed, feigning defeat as he began to stand up again.

The blonde's eyes widened slightly, and placed both hands on the man's shoulders, gently trying to guide him back down.  
"Whoa whoa whoa-"  
That probably came off as too obvious and desperate, so he had to reel it in a little.  
"I-I ain't sayin' y' can't _try_. It might work, it might not."

Alastor kept his head down a little as he flashed the tiniest of smirks, letting Anthony guide him back down again so he was kneeling where he had been before.   
"Well then... I guess I'll try."   
Looking back up into Anthony's eyes, Alastor gave him a small wink before he popped the tip of the other's cock back into his mouth, doing as he had done before.

"You sly basta- ahhn~"  
Anthony began but was cut off by his own moan and a shuddering wave of pleasure, then interrupted again by putting his hand back up to his mouth.   
Tilting his head back, he couldn't help the tiny jolt of his hips moving forward to get more of himself into Alastor's mouth. It was certainly nothing like he'd ever felt before, but damn, was it ever good.

He knew he could get Anthony to break like this.   
Wanting to put Anthony through exactly what he had done to him, Alastor hummed around the tip of the blonde's cock, creating a vibration as he sank his head down a little further, flicking his tongue up and down the sides of the length, some precum and saliva running down his chin now.

Anthony's eyelids fluttered as his eyes rolled back, parting his lips and biting down on his own hand while the other tangled into Alastor's hair. He was so tantalizingly close now, he could hardly stand it, Alastor earning a growling moan from the poor blonde.

Alastor gave a few more bobs of his head, sucking harshly once more before he popped off completely again, having a feeling that Anthony was close to finishing once again.   
"Why- I think that's enough of that."   
He breathily chuckled, wiping at his mouth as he got his breath back.

Anthony's breathing became a series of rapid hisses as he panted through clenched teeth until a moan escaped as Alastor stopped. It took a moment to process the words that he said, the blonde suddenly becoming frantic to keep the pleasure flowing.

"No no no no, amore, please~"  
He whimpered, hunching forward as both of his hands started carding through Alastor's thick chocolate strands of hair.  
"Please, amore, _please_ don't stop. Please~"  
He begged, adding a few desperate and pleading kisses to his forehead.

Alastor would be flat out lying if he said he didn't absolutely _love_ this. Keeping his lips absolutely sealed, he simply shrugged, leaning away as Anthony kissed his forehead and ran his fingers through his hair.  
"As I said before. You just need to say the words~"   
He cheerfully whispered, hissing at just how red and painful Anthony's erection now looked, absolutely seeping precum.

The victory wasn't worth this pain if Anthony was being completely honest with himself.  
"Okay, okay..."  
He breathed, placing another kiss on Alastor's forehead.  
"I forfeit the victory. It's yours. You win."  
He gulped, his body starting to tremble.  
"Please, Alastor. You win~"  
He repeated, whispering 'you win' over and over again.

And there it was. The very words that Alastor had been waiting for, for so long now.   
"There we are..."   
Alastor hushed softly now, figuring he could wait to rub the victory in Anthony's face until later. Kneeling up slightly, He raised his chin so that their lips would meet softly for a few moments.   
"Don't worry, my dear... I've got you."

Feeling the lips against his own, Anthony let a few whimpers escape. His heart was beating out of his chest and his cock was throbbing in time with his pulse. Yes, it hurt, but it would be a lie if he said he didn't like this. Alastor really did drag him through the mud and force it out of him. The persistence was admirable.

"Please, amore..."  
Anthony whispered once more, cupping Alastor's cheeks and rubbing his thumbs over his skin.  
"Have mercy~"

With a small nod, smile now genuine as opposed to the smirk it had been before, Alastor slunk back down to his knees again, letting his hot breath brush against Anthony's cock. He knew he wouldn't last very long now. 

"Je t'aime."   
Alastor whispered as he licked a stripe up the underside of Anthony's cock, slipping the head into his mouth with a low groan as he began to bob his head once again.

Once again, Anthony did his best to stand up straight, though still a bit hunched forward, his hands moving from his lover's cheeks and up to tangle in his hair again.  
"Oh, fuck~"  
He moaned, biting his lip and closing his eyes as he held his breath. He knew he still couldn't make much noise and was going to do everything he could to keep himself quiet.

The blonde's hips naturally thrust and surged forward, wanting more of his cock to be tended to but also didn't want to push Alastor too much despite the torture he'd put him through.  
Letting go of Alastor's hair, Anthony reached behind himself again and gripped the lip of the sink, giving his lover the opportunity to pull away if he wanted to.  
"Al, I'm gunna c-cum!~"  
He warned, then covered his mouth to stop any noises that might jump out.

Bringing his left hand up, Alastor gripped the base of Anthony's leaking cock and everything else that he couldn't fit his mouth around, and just as Anthony had done to him, Alastor began to pump it quickly in time with the bobbing of his head, making sure to keep a firm grip.

As Anthony pushed his hips forwards, Alastor couldn't help but choke a little, however, he quickly recovered, continuing on with pleasuring Anthony with his tongue and mouth. The sounds were filthy and Alastor just hoped that Amélie was asleep.   
However, when Anthony began to warn Alastor of his climax, Alastor simply did his best to nod.   
He supposed he would give Anthony this.

Biting down onto his hand, Anthony figured he had given Alastor fair warning and held back long enough for him to make haste, so, with his head tilting back, eyes fluttering as they rolled back, Anthony _finally_ met his orgasm.  
Stomach twitching and quivering with each intense pump, Anthony's left hand flew up to his own throat and gripped just enough to stop the noises that were trying to spring free.

It took a few moments before Anthony was finally able to relax and let himself go, allowing himself to breathe again as his knees started to give out, sinking slowly to the floor with his eyes slowly meeting Alastor again.

The sounds Anthony was making were euphoric to Alastor, even if they weren't too loud- but that was good of course. And as Anthony was finally brought to orgasm, Alastor made sure that none of it spilled. There was quite a lot of cum, and Alastor did splutter once or twice, but he more or less took it okay.

Again, making sure none of it spilled, Alastor pulled off of Anthony's cock with a pop, his mouth still full. Quickly standing, Alastor leaned over the sink and spat out everything that was in his mouth, coughing quietly a few times.

Anthony finally met the floor just as Alastor was spitting, his breathing heavy and jagged. He was so weak and tired now, his body still twitching here and there.  
Looking up at Alastor, Anthony slowly brought his hand out and held Alastor's leg. He didn't know why he did this; maybe as some form of thank you or maybe some kind of comfort or apology due to his lack of ability to speak.  
He then closed his eyes and leaned against his lover's leg. Anthony knew he was going to have to clean himself up properly, but he needed to regain some of his strength first, and what better place to do that than on the bathroom floor?

Feeling Anthony against his leg, Alastor briefly looked down, smiling softly from where he stood over the sink, running the water as he rinsed out his mouth and brushed his teeth.   
"Feeling better?"   
He asked, his words a little mumbled from where the toothbrush was in his mouth. He could see that Anthony was visibly quite tired, and that was fair enough.

Quickly rinsing out his mouth once more and drying his hands off, slowly Alastor lowered himself down to the bathroom floor beside Anthony, letting the other lean his head against his shoulder.   
"Love you."   
He smiled, wrapping an arm around his lover.

Anthony had started taking slow and controlled breaths in hopes that it would help him calm down and relax, shifting himself slightly when Alastor rejoined him but stayed close and leaned into him again once he'd settled.

"Love you..."  
He muttered in return, the exhaustion clear in his voice and how he was holding himself up. It was a few moments more before he sat himself up again.  
"Gunna need somethin'... t' clean off with... please-"

Letting Anthony rest against him as he pleased for a few moments, Alastor soon nodded at the blonde's request.   
"Of course."   
He spoke, leaning over to press a sweet kiss to the top of Anthony's head before he stood again.

Moving across the bathroom to where the clean towels were kept, Alastor gathered a few before thinking about it a second. He needed to wash up too, so perhaps for convenience sake...  
"Would you like a shower?"   
He asked, bopping down in front of his love and passing him the fluffy towel.

Anthony cleared his throat and accepted the towel, thinking it over for a moment.  
"A shower might be good, but... I don't think I'll be able t' hold myself up."  
He replied with a soft laugh, then looked down at himself. He'd already calmed down enough to where he'd softened significantly. That pain was gone now, thankfully.

Looking down at Anthony too, Alastor nodded. That was understandable.   
"Then... I shall run you a bath, my dear."   
The brunette smiled, taking his lover's hand and gently holding it.   
"Hey. Mon amour. I'm sorry if I pushed you too far."

About to start cleaning himself up, Anthony felt his hand be taken and gently held, causing him to look at his lover with a raised brow.  
His face softened at the sweetness of Alastor's words.  
"I woulda given up sooner if it was too much, amo."  
He replied softly, giving Alastor's hand a gentle squeeze, and leaned in, pressing a kiss to his lips.

Smiling even wider at the sweet kiss, Alastor nodded before standing and letting Anthony clean himself up while he started running the bath.   
"The warm water will help any sort of aching or pain, my dear."   
Alastor spoke as he turned on the faucets, looking in the bathroom cabinets to see if anything could be added to help Anthony relax.

Anthony nodded and started to clean himself up, glancing at Alastor for a moment before focusing on him fully.  
"Are ya gunna join me?"  
He asked, then got to cleaning again.

Alastor looked to the bath that was starting to fill and then to Anthony. Running a bath usually used quite a lot of water up, and to heat it up again just for a shower afterward would be quite the pain.   
"Yes, I think that would be more convenient."   
He nodded.

Anthony smiled a little more and nodded too.  
"Alright."  
He paused for a moment after he finished cleaning up a bit.  
"Hey, Al? Your sweet side is showin' again."  
The blonde commented with a bit of a smirk.

Finding the same glass vile of lavender that he'd put into Anthony's bath the last time, Alastor poured a few drops into the water as it filled up.   
"My sweet side? Why no such thing exists."   
He laughed, unbuttoning the first few buttons of his shirt and undoing his tie.

Anthony gave a small chuckle and shook his head.  
"Oh, right. You're bein' a complete _monster_ right now."  
He said in a clearly sarcastic tone, setting the towel aside and starting to work on getting up off of the floor.

As if it were second nature, Alastor offered a hand out to help Anthony up, shrugging at the other's words.   
"Not being a monster, no, but I _could_ be."   
He continued as he pulled off his shirt, folding his clothes neatly and setting them on the side.

Anthony shook his head with another small laugh.  
"I'd rather ya didn't. I think I've had my fill of your beastly self for one night. How 'bout we schedule for t'morrow?"

Laughing as he unbuckled his belt now, Alastor nodded.   
"Perhaps we should push that one back a bit further, my dear. I don't want to exhaust now."   
He chuckled, running a hand through his hair as he unbuckled his sock garters surprisingly well with only one abled hand at present.

Anthony rolled his eyes and removed his shirt, setting it aside, and then removed his pants the rest of the way, kicking them away.  
"What, y' think I can't take it? I wanna make sure I get my fill b'fore I gotta go again. Anythin' y' throw at me, I'll happily take."

Looking down at his neat pile of folded clothes and then across to the messy pile of clothes that were Anthony's, Alastor too rolled his eyes, however, couldn't help but laugh regardless.   
"That's awfully vulgar, my dear. Have you not had enough?"   
He asked casually as he turned off the faucet and dipped a hand in to check it wasn't too cold- it seemed they didn't have a lot of hot water left after that day. But it would do.

Anthony smirked.  
" _Enough_? Of _you_? Not in a million years."  
He said as he carefully stepped closer, dipping his own hand in too. Sure, the water was a little cold, but he wasn't going to complain.

"Anthony darling, you flatter me."   
Alastor chuckled, stepping into the water now, taking a seat towards the back of the tub. His feet usually hung off the front side of the tub, since it wasn't really long enough to accommodate his tall height.   
"Come on. Let's get you in."   
He laughed again, holding out his left hand for Anthony to take. With the bandage on his left hand and all, he kept it out the water as best as he could, not wanting to hinder any sort of healing.

Anthony accepted the help, knowing that he was still quite weak, and carefully stepped into the tub one foot at a time; then sat himself in between Alastor's legs and scooted back so he could comfortably lean into him.  
Taking a deep breath, Anthony closed his eyes.  
"So, t'morrow. Gotta go get the photographs. Then what're we gunna do?"  
He asked, wanting to get a plan set out.

Shifting himself as Anthony got in the tub too so that he was comfortable as well, Alastor let his arm rest loosely across Anthony's chest.   
"Well, we still have to watch the circus performance in its entirety."   
Alastor began, his eyes closing too now.   
"Not to mention the fireworks- and if I'm correct, my dear, didn't you say you were determined to get onto the Ferris Wheel?"

Anthony's brows raised, having forgotten all about the latter. The mention of the circus surprised him a bit too considering the events that occurred the last time they were there.  
"Oh right, looks like we'll have a bit of a busy day t'morrow, huh?"  
He opened his eyes and turned his head to look back at his lover.

Nodding, Alastor felt Anthony looking at him, so he opened his eyes too, a soft smile upon his face as he met green eyes.   
"A busy day indeed, yes. I suggest we get some sleep though. I told Mama earlier that you weren't feeling too well, so if she asks in the morning, you'll know why."

Anthony nodded and smiled, looking up into his lover's eyes for a moment longer before pressing a kiss to his cheek.  
"Ti amo."


	60. Chapter 60

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all!  
> While we're not back from our break yet, there's a birthday in the server!  
> We hope you've all had an awesome New Year so far and we can't wait for February to roll around so we can start posting again!

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Saturday, August 11th, 1923

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After their evening of events brought on by challenges piling on top of each other one after another that had ended with a shared relaxing bath, the two men went to bed exhausted and spent; especially Anthony.

It was at near six in the morning that Anthony finally noticed that the body he went to sleep cuddled into was no longer there, a pillow in the man's place. He quietly started to stir, hearing the sound of a pen scrawling over paper.

A small smile came up to his face, glad to know that Alastor was still with him. Slowly opening his eyes, the blonde blinked away the blurriness of his vision and simply watched his lover at his desk in an admiring way, hugging the pillow closer in hopes of getting more of the man's scent. Of course, it wasn't as good as when it came straight from Alastor himself, but he would work with this for now. He didn't want to disturb his lover while he seemed so deep in his thoughts.

After having rested so much the past day, Alastor knew that sleep wouldn't come so easily to him that night. Even if Anthony was there in his arms. 

It was a usual occurrence for Alastor to wake quite early, but waking up at five in the morning was quite unusual; and again, even with the warm embrace of his lover beside him, Alastor simply couldn't sleep again.

For an hour or so, Alastor sat at his desk, continuing to write what he had stopped writing the night prior in favor of the banter that had gone on between him and Anthony. He made sure to write down all of his thoughts on the matter of the entity and what had happened upon last contacting it at their tree. Yes... their tree. That was another thing that Alastor had been meaning to do. 

All was silent at six in the morning as Alastor slowly placed his pen down against his desk, pausing for a moment or two as he mulled an idea over in his mind. It would undoubtedly work, but was it worth it? Of course, it was...

Closing his notebook, Alastor gently set it aside.  
“Are you here?"  
The man whispered quietly, voice barely audible. He didn't want to wake Anthony after all.  
As soon as the question had been asked, from out the shadows of the darkened room, it appeared. With a nod, the entity grinned.  
“I want to ask a favor. I'm sure you already know what I want."  
It seemed Alastor didn't even have to finish his sentence before the shadow had gone.

Anthony was about to sit up and answer Alastor's question that was oddly quiet, but the shadow came forward before he could move.  
He listened closely with furrowed brows, and once the shadow had gone, he spoke.

  
"The hell are y' doin'?"  
The blonde asked, propping himself up on his elbows from where he lay on his stomach.  
"I thought we talked 'bout this..."  
He was still pretty tired, so any form of raised voice would have killed his vocal cords.

Alastor didn't jump at the sound of his lover's voice coming out of nowhere, however, he did sigh.  
"Anthony, were you not asleep?"  
He asked, slowly turning around and looking at his lover on the bed from over his shoulder.  
”It's too early to be up, my dear. I'm just working. Don't mind me."

Anthony laid back down, his cheek pressing into the pillow once again.  
"I _was_ , but I guess I woke up 'cause this ain't my pillow."  
He replied, not about to drop his concerns though.  
"I thought we agreed y' wouldn't be askin' for any favors..."  
There was a mix of concern and disappointment clear in his words and in the way he looked at his lover.

Turning in his seat so that he could face Anthony a little better, Alastor just shook his head.  
"I know we discussed it, but this is a good favor, I promise. I would do it myself, however, it's more convenient if the entity does it for me."  
He explained, trying his best to calm any worries that Anthony clearly had.

The blonde kept his eyes on his lover, that worried expression still firm on his face.  
"Just 'cause it's convenient don't mean it's safe, Al...”  
He said softly as he shifted to lay on his side, brushing his loose hair back out of his face.  
”Say you're on the top of a mountain and y' gotta get t' town in the valley. Y' ain't gunna jump off the cliff just t' get there faster. You're gunna take the road."  
A lesson he was taught quite a long time ago, word for word.

Sighing again, Alastor briefly closed his eyes as if he were thinking about something.   
”But... perhaps I _am_ taking the road. Just with a small bit of assistance, that's all."  
He replied, eyes opening now. 

Before Anthony could even reply, Alastor felt a tap on his shoulder, the man waving the shadow away quickly upon its arrival. “Regardless, you should get some sleep, Anthony. I still have work to do and it will be sunrise soon."

Anthony pursed his lips together and exhaled through his nose, looking between Alastor and his shadow.   
"Alright..."  
He sighed, laying back down, rolling back onto his stomach with his arms wrapping around the pillow and burying his face into it.

It was a little frustrating, knowing Alastor was still asking for the favors. Anthony didn't trust the shadow still, nor did he think he ever would. The form of it he saw just yesterday was terrifying and to know that it was looming over his lover wasn't at all comforting.

With a small nod as he watched Anthony turn back around again and lay down, Alastor too turned back to his desk. Presented before him was the item that Alastor had asked for- or at least, the item which the shadow knew he was going to ask for. 

"Thank you."   
Alastor whispered softly. This would be difficult with only one abled hand, but he would achieve his goal somehow. Pulling out his knife, Alastor got to work.

Anthony laid still for as long as he could, but sleep wouldn't come back. Taking a deep breath, he rolled over, sat up, and got out of bed.  
Perhaps if he emptied his bladder and got some water, he would be able to rest a little easier.

The blonde walked over to where Alastor still sat, working away, and placed a kiss to the back of his head before leaving the room for the bathroom. He made sure to put his pants on before going though, just in case Amélie was around, not wanting her to witness him walking around in nothing but one of her son's shirts.

The house was still dark and silent, so Amélie was either downstairs or she had already left. Either way, Anthony got to the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror, seeing the small cuts left on his jaw and collarbone from the night before.  
It almost made him shudder just remembering it, but not in a bad way.

After doing his business and brushing his teeth, the blonde left the bathroom and went back to Alastor's bedroom, crawling into bed again after removing his pants with a sigh.

Alastor didn't get too far with what he was doing after he started, instead opting to try again when he'd gathered more materials for it himself later. Putting the knife away again, he got back to writing. 

At some point or another, Anthony got up presumably to use the bathroom, and when he came back, Alastor was still writing. Whether Anthony fell asleep or not after that, Alastor didn't know. And soon enough after some time, the sun began to light the room through the curtains.

Anthony was still tired and really did want to fall asleep again, but he couldn't even after all that time comfortably in bed.

Sighing and opening his eyes, he looked over at Alastor, watching him for a few moments before closing his eyes again.  
”Al, y' busy?"   
He asked softly.

At the question, Alastor hummed.  
“Not particularly."  
He spoke flatly, flicking the page of his notebook and dipping his pen into the ink.

The blonde rolled onto his back and rubbed his face.  
”C'mere..."   
He mumbled, eyes opening and looking over at his lover.

Placing his pen down, Alastor slowly stood from his seat, stretching his arms and back slightly as he walked the short distance to his bedside.  
“Yes?"  
He smiled, chuckling slightly as he looked down at Anthony.

Anthony reached up with both hands.  
"C'mere."  
He stated again.   
Trying to make it clear that he wanted Alastor to join him in bed again and get this morning's cuddles in before they had to leave the safety of the house.

Glancing back over his shoulder at his desk and then up at the clock on the wall, Alastor sighed. He supposed he could join Anthony for a bit.  
"Alright."  
The brunette whispered, stretching his arms up once more before he flopped down carefully on top of his lover, using him as a pillow as he laid on him comfortably.

Anthony let out a bit of a grunt and small wheeze as the weight was brought down on his body, but wrapped his arms around his lover and embraced him anyway. He did technically ask for this and the small role switch was more than welcome.  
Pressing a kiss to Alastor's head, the blonde sighed.   
"What're y' doin' up so early?"   
He asked softly.

Alastor shrugged as he laid his head down upon Anthony's chest, pulling up the covers a little more over them.  
"I had to write some things down."   
He smiled, eyes closing.   
“Couldn't sleep much more than a few hours, unfortunately, but at least I'm not exhausted anymore."

Anthony sighed and rubbed circles into Alastor's back, glancing down at him for a moment and then closed his eyes again.  
"Is this somethin' that's always happened? The wakin' up early thing; were y' just layin' there awake with me asleep on ya every other time, or is this just this mornin'?"

Alastor appreciated the gentle circles being rubbed against his back, the man sighing again.  
”Sleep is unfortunately not something that has ever come easy for me. But no, I don't usually just lay there awake with you laying on me, my dear."

Anthony tilted his head slightly and placed another kiss to the top of Alastor's head.   
“Is everythin' alright? Y' know ya can talk t' me about this stuff. I probably won't fully understand any of it, but I'm here."

"It's fine, mon amour."  
Alastor smiled, looking up and giving his lover a grin.  
“There's not much to talk about. My sleeping habits are simply unfortunate."

Anthony opened his eyes and looked down at his lover, tilting his head slightly as they held their gaze.  
"I worry about ya, y' know?"   
He sighed, bringing one of his hands up to run through Alastor's hair.

Nodding slowly, Alastor's smile widened.  
“I know you do, but there's nothing to worry about, really. I get enough sleep, and that's all that matters. Better yet, I sleep a whole lot better with you around, darling."

Anthony chuckled and shook his head.  
"That ain't helpin'. I go home soon, remember? What're y' gunna do without me? Y' didn't sleep the other night."   
He paused, thinking that over.   
"Okay, y' did, but only after a significant amount of blood loss."

Leaning himself back down again, face burying slightly into Anthony's chest, Alastor hummed.   
"I've managed before, so I'll manage again." He mumbled.  
"And what about you, hm? Will _you_ sleep okay once you're back home?"

“We both know the answer t' that. A verbal answer ain't necessary."  
The Italian replied with a shake of his head.  
"Speakin' of... I was thinkin'. 'Cause your shirts ain't gunna smell like ya forever, I was thinkin' that maybe we could alternate. Y' know what I mean?"  
He put thought into this already if he was honest.  
“I'm takin' some of your shirts home with me, so why don't we swap? You'll send me new ones and I'll send the old ones back. That way they'll smell like me."

Alastor, of course, knew the answer very well, as sad as it was. Giving a simple nod, he continued to listen to what else his lover had to say.  
And? The idea wasn't half bad, he could say that for sure. 

"Hm, well, it's certainly an idea."  
He agreed, thinking about it.   
"However, you'd have to be careful with that, naturally. Wouldn't want anyone opening your post only to find a few quite random shirts."

Anthony thought about that and nodded.   
"Yeah, that's true. We could have a specific day that we make the trade, just so Molly's gunna know when t' be ready t' cheese it."  
He shrugged.  
”I'm sure we'll figure it out."

Even if they did come up with a specific day, parcels were a little trickier than letters, to say the least. But perhaps it would work.  
“We still have plenty of time."   
Alastor sighed again, gently taking in his lover's scent as he held him close. And it was quite the sight indeed, he would say.

Anthony nodded and closed his eyes again, continuing to card his fingers through his lover's hair.  
”We'll make it through."   
He sighed, smiling softly as he embraced these moments.  
"I dunno if your ma's still home or not. Didja hear her leave while you were up?"

"Yes, I do believe I heard her leaving earlier this morning. She'll be working until the late afternoon I think."   
Alastor nodded, certainly glad that he wasn't working right now. Two weeks off to spend eternity with Anthony had been quite the treat.

Anthony nodded and shifted a bit to be a little more comfortable.

"Alright. Are we gunna stick around here 'till she gets back, then head t' the carnival t'gether?"  
He asked, eyes opening once more to look down at his lover and then looked over at the window, seeing the sunlight shining through the curtains.

Alastor hummed in thought at that before lifting his head and looking into Anthony's eyes.  
“We could always go somewhere beforehand. A few hours is quite a long time."   
He chuckled, thinking about where they could possibly go for the morning at least.

Anthony raised a brow and met Alastor's gaze once again.  
”I mean, yeah, we could. _Or_ we could stay just like this."   
He shrugged. Of course, if Alastor wanted to go out somewhere, Anthony would be all for it, but he really wouldn't mind just laying with him and talking to pass the time.

Alastor thought about that for a second. He had been resting an awful lot this past day, and couldn't help but think it would be a slight waste of their time; but, at the same time, any moments spent with Anthony were more than worth it. So, he supposed, staying like this would be good. Great, even.  
"Alright."   
He mumbled, pressing a kiss to the Italian's chest.

Anthony couldn't help the big smile that set in, placing one final kiss on the top of Alastor's head, then relaxed again with his eyes closed. His hands continued to rub his lover's back as they seemed to silently decide they would rest a little longer. It was nearing quarter to seven now, but they still had plenty of time before Alastor's mother returned.

In fact, they had hours left of this calm eternity together, and even after having woken up early with not much desire for rest, Alastor even felt himself starting to get sleepy as he laid above Anthony, the blonde lazily rubbing his back.

Anthony could feel Alastor's weight growing heavier the longer they stayed like this. He could feel himself getting tired again too. Time seemed to stop right then and there, however, when Anthony opened his eyes again and looked at the time, it was nearing eight-thirty. 

With a deep inhale and slow exhale, the blonde looked down at his lover with a small tilt of his head. He brought his hand up and started running his fingers through those soft chocolate tresses, testing to see if he was awake.  
"Amore?"   
He whispered softly.

Alastor gave no reply, the gentle rise and fall of his chest and slightly parted lips enough of a sign that the man was very much asleep, his body still laying on top of Anthony comfortably.

The blonde couldn't help but melt at the peaceful sweetness of his lover.  
"Adorable..."  
He sighed, leaning down and peppering soft and careful kisses to the top of Alastor's head while returning to rubbing circles on his back.

It wasn't too long after Anthony awoke that Alastor began to as well. Around ten minutes later, the man started to stir, feeling comforting circles still being rubbed into his back.  
"Anthony?"  
He spoke, barely a whisper, his voice quite croaky.

"Mmm, yes, my love?"  
The blonde hummed, leaning down and pressing a few more kisses into Alastor's hair. He was glad that Alastor had gotten some more sleep. He could tell he needed it.

There was a moment's silence before Alastor spoke up again.  
"How late is it?"   
He asked, voice tired, yet he definitely felt even better after that small nap of sorts.   
"I think we should get up. I cannot rest for much longer."

Anthony gave a soft hum, glancing at the clock again. It was just after eight-thirty now, but maybe some fun could be had.  
With a bit of a smirk, Anthony buried his nose into Alastor's hair again.  
”Y' slept a lot, amo. It's almost three in the afternoon."  
He replied nonchalantly.

Alastor raised his head a little, a slight frown forming upon his face.  
"Three? Did you not wake me after an hour?Then... is Mama home?"  
He asked, confused as to how he could have slept so long. Not to mention, he felt awfully lazy if he had.

Anthony couldn't help but give a laugh, shaking his head as he guided Alastor down to relax again.  
"Shhhh... I was kiddin'. It ain't even nine yet. Calm down."  
He hushed as he started running his fingers through his lover's hair again.  
"Just relax."

Deadpanning, Alastor raised his hand up from under the covers and lightly flicked Anthony's forehead before laying back down again.

"Ah ha, ow?"   
Anthony chuckled out at the flick to his forehead.  
"I didn't do that t' ya when ya told me you were fifty."  
He laughed, cupping Alastor's cheek lightly.

Alastor indeed laughed at that, memories of their first days together after meeting, resurfacing.  
"Why, you were quite gullible, especially back then my dear. I could have told you I had a wife and five children and you would have undoubtedly believed me."  
Even so, it still surprised Alastor to this day that Anthony had thought for even a second that he looked even close to fifty.

"Are you hungry? I'm thinking that it would be a nice idea to perhaps make breakfast together in a moment then since it is fortunately still relatively early."

"Yeah, I'm pretty hungry. What 'cha have in mind? More pie maybe?"  
The blonde questioned with a small tilt of his head.

At the topic of breakfast and the sudden mention of pie- Alastor quickly found his stomach rumbling.  
”Yes, I had thought about getting another slice of that pie while it's still relatively fresh."

Anthony smiled and patted Alastor's arm.  
"Alright, well, let's get up and see what we got, yeah?"

Before Alastor could get up, Anthony pulled him back down in a tight hug and started peppering kisses all over his lover's face.

Alastor's eyes widened a little as Anthony pulled him back down again and into a tight embrace, squeezing the brunette like his life depended on it. With a small smile at all the kisses of sweetness, Alastor hugged Anthony back.  
“Come now, my dear. The kisses can wait."   
He chuckled, pulling back from the hug.

Anthony gave a disapproving hum as he continued, speaking between kisses soon after.  
”No... They... Can't... Appreciate them... B'fore... They're... Gone."

It was a good minute after that, that Anthony finally ended with a kiss to Alastor's lips.  
”Okay, I think we're alright now."

Letting their lips linger against each other for a brief second more, Alastor then sat up again- and properly this time too.  
"Thank you."  
He chuckled, running a hand through his hair as he stretched out his arms with a yawn, then slowly rolled off of Anthony, his feet resting on the ground now.

Anthony remained on his back for a few moments as the colder air hit his body, Alastor having taken the blankets with him when he sat up.  
He laid thinking for a few moments before he too sat up and crossed his legs.

“Y' gotta teach me some French."  
The blonde stated. Yes, it was a little out of the blue, but it was something he had just now firmly decided on.

Gathering a few things from his closet and drawers, Alastor looked over at Anthony who was now sat up on the bed.  
"I will if you want to learn."  
He spoke casually, slipping on a clean shirt and beginning to do up the buttons.  
"I'll talk, and you can listen. It's much easier to learn by listening and imitating."

Anthony watched his lover and shrugged.  
"I guess that ain't gunna be so hard."  
He said as he stood up, walking over to Alastor, and wrapped his arms around him from behind in a careful hug.  
”I just wanna be able t' say some things over the phone without dad knowin' what I'm sayin' if he happens t' listen in at any point."

Draping his bow tie around his neck, Alastor paused as he felt arms around him, the man smiling softly as a response.  
"We'll work something out then, don't worry."  
He started, however, paused again, thinking over what Anthony had just said.  
"Would your father not be suspicious if you began speaking French over the phone, though?"

“Oh, probably, but I could just tell 'im that I picked some up here t' be polite t' the locals. He ain't gunna question it too much after that."  
Anthony replied, kissing Alastor's shoulder before letting go to start getting himself dressed as well.

Shrugging, Alastor too continued on with getting ready for the day. It didn't take the two of them long, and before they knew it, they were heading downstairs to make some breakfast- or in Alastor's case, to try and get another slice of pie.

Anthony was loosely trailing behind, making sure he had everything in his pockets as he turned into the kitchen.  
"So, we-"  
He froze as he looked up, seeing Alastor going for a pie. His eyes widened and, before he could even think, he jumped into action; tackling his lover to stop him.

"Non lo toccare!"  
[Don't touch it!]  
He shrieked.  
Anthony wasn't sure how Alastor didn't see the difference but it was clear that Amélie was right.

Alastor had just begun to cut himself a slice of the pie which had been left out, a knife beside it, when he suddenly felt himself being thrown to the ground.  
"Anthony, what-"  
He let out with a forced breath as he was tackled down, Anthony on top of him now on the kitchen floor.  
“If you wanted a slice, you could have said so-“  
He replied with an eye roll, rubbing the back of his head which he had hit as he went down.  
"There was no need to tackle me."

Anthony didn't mean to be so extreme about it, but he knew that with the potential death of his lover definitely warranted extreme measures.  
"That was strawberry, y' idiot!"  
He continued, grabbing Alastor's hands, making sure he hadn't touched any of the filling, then cupped his cheeks, making sure they held eye contact so his point could hopefully get across.  
”Alastor, y' coulda _died_! What's wrong with ya!? Y' didn't see the difference!?"

Alastor's eyes widened a little more in realization as Anthony explained, the brunette sighing tiredly, glad that he hadn't touched the pie yet, let alone taken a bite.  
“It was strawberry..."  
Alastor repeated slowly, glad now that Anthony had tackled him.  
"Of course, I didn't see the difference... you think I would have knowingly gone for the strawberry one? Regardless... thank you."

Anthony sighed and leaned down, hugging his lover tightly.  
”If that pie didn't kill ya, I woulda killed ya myself for scarin' me."  
He said with a shake of his head, then kissed all over Alastor's face, muttering in agitated Italian.

Laughing softly at Anthony's words, Alastor nodded.  
"I know."  
He replied, attempting to sit up now.  
"Let's try again, shall we? Let me take a slice of the _apple_ pie this time, and hopefully, you won't be tackling me down to the ground with it."

Anthony sighed and stayed on Alastor's lap, rubbing his cheeks over with his thumbs.  
”I'll cut the pieces while ya think about glasses. Seriously."  
He said, pecking his lover's lips, and then got up off the floor, holding his hand out to help Alastor up.

Taking Anthony's hand and pulling himself up, Alastor couldn't help but scoff slightly.  
“Both pies look the same Anthony, and my vision is perfectly fine."  
Moving towards the cupboard, he got two plates out for them as well as gathered some forks to eat with.

"They absolutely do _not_ , sir."  
Anthony scoffed in return, grabbing the strawberry pie but making sure not to get too close to Alastor with it.  
”The vents in the pastry. The red from the strawberry is clearly seen through. Apple pies ain't got red."   
He explained, setting the strawberry pie down again and now taking the apple pie.

“I also noticed how close y' get t' the paper when you're writin'."  
He added, taking the knife and seeing that there was some of the strawberry filling on the blade.  
He carefully brought it to the sink and started washing it.

Alastor simply tutted in disagreement, setting the plates and cutlery down by the blonde.  
“I get closer to the paper because I am so focused when I write. I'm invested in the words that I put down; and the color of a pie hardly has anything to do with needing glasses."

"Al, babe, I could tell which pie it was from the doorway."  
Anthony said with a raised brow, scrubbing the knife.  
”Either you're color blind or just blind."

"I was blinded by _hunger_. There."  
Alastor pressed, looking over the apple pie and the strawberry pie. Sure, the fillings were clearly different, but it was as he had said. Blinded by hunger and a love for pie.

"Mhm, sure. I'm _so_ convinced."  
Anthony replied with a shake of his head and roll of his eyes, drying the knife off now.  
”I'm still bringin' this up with Amélie. I don't need ya choppin' your hand off at work 'cause you're too stubborn t' get your damn eyes checked."  
He added, starting to cut two slices of the apple pie.

Grabbing two glasses from the cupboard too, Alastor filled those up with some water for the both of them.  
" _Amélie_ will say that I'm fine. I'm not quite sure you know how vision works, Anthony dearest, especially if you think that one mistake means I am in need of glasses and therefore visually impaired."

The blonde shrugged as he set the two slices on the plates set out.  
"I just wanna make sure you're taken care of. If you're scared of gettin' checked though, I can respect that. I'll take my suggestion back if that's the case."  
He said, trying to contain a smirk that was trying to pull through.

Rolling his eyes again and picking up both of the glasses, Alastor began to walk out of the kitchen and into the dining room.  
“And _why_ would I be scared of having my vision tested?"  
He called from the other room, presuming that Anthony was bringing the pie through.  
"I simply know it is not necessary. That is all."

Anthony placed the forks on the plates and brought them into the dining room.  
"Well, if y' ain't scared, why don't 'cha go anyway? Prove me wrong, y' know? 'Cause no matter how much ya insist y' don't need t' be checked, I'm still gunna worry and be skeptical."  
He explained as he set the plates down before sitting himself down in the chair opposite Alastor.

Taking a seat where he usually sat, Alastor slid his plate of pie over to him. However, as Anthony spoke, the brunette's eyes narrowed. Anthony was doing it again, and this time, Alastor wasn't going to be fooled so easily. He wasn't going to be pulled into a challenge again and recklessly make an idiot of himself. If Rosie was here at least, she'd be rolling her eyes no doubt.

“No, I don't think I will."  
Alastor stated rather simply, picking up a fork and sticking it into the soft pastry of the pie.  
“Prove you wrong, that is."  
It seemed he had learned after all.  
"I appreciate your concerns Anthony, and despite not really knowing where all of this suddenly came from, I think I will be fine. I'll take action if I feel it is needed."

Anthony was a little disappointed that Alastor didn't fall for it, but wasn't going to show it.  
”Fine, but I'm still tellin' your ma. I'll even go as far as makin' your appointment myself. Hell, I'll even pay for it."  
He shrugged as he dug into his own slice.

Taking the first bite and sighing contently, Alastor supposed there was no use in arguing with Anthony. Whether he made an appointment or not, he wouldn't be able to drag him there.  
“Okay."  
He shrugged, taking a sip of water.  
"Does the strawberry pie taste nice?"  
Alastor asked, deciding to change the topic now.

Anthony blinked a few times, then decided to humor him.  
"Oh, yeah, it's great. Real sweet."  
He said with a nod, watching Alastor closely.

The last time he'd eaten a strawberry, well, the first and _last_ time he'd ever eaten a strawberry, the consequences hadn't been good. He couldn't even remember the taste, but he supposed they were as sweet as they smelled.  
“Yes, I'm sure."  
Alastor nodded, taking another bite of his pie. He was content with apple.

Anthony set his plate down again.  
”Alastor. I ain't touchin' the strawberry pie. I dunno what it's like. You're gettin' your eyes checked and so help me if y' don't make the appointment, I'm gunna come back and drag ya there."

Alastor raised a slight brow as he took another bite, head tilting.  
"What? Why not?" 

"Y' need glasses."  
The blonde nodded firmly, taking another bite of his pie.  
”Have your eyes always been bad?"

Now he was curious, wondering if Alastor had actually truly seen him. If he hadn't, he was going to be very worried.

Shaking his head now, Alastor sighed.  
"I really don't, Anthony. It's as I said, my vision is completely fine and my eyes have never been bad."

Anthony put his fork down and held up his fist.  
”Alright, how many fingers am I holdin' up?"  
He asked with a raised brow.

Alastor once again rolled his eyes.  
"You humor me, Anthony, truly. That is a fist you're holding up."  
He responded simply, finishing up the last few bites of his pie.

Anthony's eyes narrowed.  
”That's right, and this fist is gunna become real good friends with your jaw if ya keep toyin' with me."  
He replied, shaking his fist twice before lowering it and picking up his fork again.  
"You're still gettin' your eyes checked."

Slowly, Alastor sighed, pushing his now finished plate to the side, the tiniest of smirks rising to his face now.  
"I hope you enjoyed your _strawberry pie_ , Anthony. That's clearly not apple."

Anthony put his fork down again, deadpanning at the man across from him.  
”Levesque, I will crawl over this damn table and feed it to ya so you can get a taste for yourself. How's that sound?"

Alastor raised a slight brow, smirk only widening as he began to lightly chuckle now.   
"But Anthony, darling, you _know_ I'm not to have strawberry pie. And that's clearly strawberry, is it not? If you can't see that, then maybe you are the one who needs glasses."

The blonde slowly and deeply inhaled, bringing his hands up to rub his face. Now he knew that Alastor was only playing with him.  
"Ha, yeah. Alright. Funny. Haha."  
He said in the most monotone voice he could, shaking his head.  
_”Anyway_ , when didja say your mom was gunna get home?"

Laughing properly now as Anthony realized, Alastor slowly stood and grabbed his plate, seeing that he had almost finished with his own pie too.  
"Still a few hours yet. She should be back mid to late afternoon. But, as for us? There was somewhere that I wanted to go before we head to the carnival this evening."

Anthony took a breath and finished off his pie, then stood and brought the plate to the kitchen.  
"Yeah? Where's that?"  
He asked, setting the plate in the sink as he grabbed the scrub brush to wash their dishes.

Bringing his own plate in behind Anthony, who then offered to wash it, Alastor simply stood back, leaning against the counter in the kitchen. 

"There are a few things I need to get done up the bayou and by my shed. We have plenty of time before the circus and the fireworks, and I can't imagine that I will take too long."   
He explained.

Anthony started scrubbing the plate, glancing at Alastor for a moment, and then back down at what he was doing.  
”Been a while since we went there."   
He stated.   
"If y' think we got time, sure."

Alastor nodded slowly again, knowing very well that it had been a while. At least in comparison to Anthony's last visit, they'd barely spent any time there at all.  
"I think I just need to get outside for a while too. Resting is good for when I was still unsteady, but I can only rest for so long."

"If ya think ya can handle so much movin' around, fine by me. I ain't carryin' ya 'round if ya get tired though."  
The blonde replied, setting the clean dishes into the drying rack and turned off the tap, drying his hands on a rag.

Arms folded across his chest as he watched Anthony finish putting everything away, Alastor could only shrug.  
“Why, of course I can. Once we're on the boat and at the shed, there's not much walking around at all."  
He added with a wide smile.

Anthony smiled a bit and walked over, tilting his head as he wrapped his arms around his lover's neck.  
"Alright, sounds like y' know what you're doin'. We gunna leave now?"

Alastor gave Anthony a quick peck on the cheek as he nodded.  
"Yes, I think the sooner we head off, the better." 

Chuckling softly to himself, he pulled back from Anthony's arms and began to make his way to the bottom of the stairs.   
“I just need to gather a few things and then we can go."

Anthony smiled at the kiss to his cheek and nodded, clearing his throat.  
"I'll wait by the door for ya, amore. Take your time."  
He said, putting his hands in his pockets and headed for the door, patting Alastor's rear on his way past with a smirk.

Alastor cleared his throat at the mischievous gesture from Anthony, however, didn't say anything as he simply made his way upstairs. 

Once in his room, Alastor gathered a few things from his desk, putting them away in his pockets before heading swiftly back down again.  
"Why, we are good to go, my darling!"  
Alastor spoke cheerfully, meeting Anthony by the door as he opened it.

Anthony pecked Alastor's cheek quickly, then stepped out and slipped his shoes on with a smile.  
"Mighty fine day for a stroll, aye?"  
He grinned, taking his cigarette case from his pocket to light one up.

Getting his own shoes on and tying them up just after Anthony, Alastor then stood up, nodding as they walked down off of the porch and onto the pathway.  
“Hm yes, it looks to be quite swell."  
Glancing up at the sky for a moment, Alastor just smiled. A fine day indeed.

As they walked, they made sure to keep that respectable distance from each other that they always had, and only once they made it onto the boat and halfway down the bayou, Anthony started really making eyes at Alastor as he rowed them through the water; soft and admiring smile on his lips as he watched his lover.

Once they got on the water, Alastor began to take them towards the part of the bayou where his shed and place of solace was. 

The rowing work was a little more difficult than usual, his right hand not gripping the ore too well, but regardless Alastor still managed.

"Y' know, lookin' back t' the first time y' brought me out here, I didn't wanna be rude or make ya feel weird by starin' at your arms, sleeves all rolled up 'n showin' off... now though, I'm so happy I can stare all I damn well please. _God_ , you're beautiful."  
Anthony commented.

Enjoying the scenery, looking around at the water as he pushed forwards, Alastor turned his head toward his lover as he began to strike up a conversation.  
"I did notice you staring back then, all that time ago."  
He laughed softly, placing the ores down for a moment to let his hand rest, the boat peacefully drifting through the murky water.

"Damn, I wasn't the best at hidin', was I."  
The blonde chuckled, tilting his head slightly.

"And you still aren't."  
Alastor quipped back with a smirk.  
”Y' want some help with that? You'll bust your stitches."

The brunette shook his head as Anthony offered to take over with the ores.  
"It's alright. I just need a moment." 

They were almost there anyway, Alastor recognizing the unique pattern of low hanging trees lining the side of the water.

Anthony shrugged.  
”Alright. Just gives me more time t' look at 'cha."  
He grinned, keeping his eyes on his lover.

Shaking his head in amusement, Alastor let them drift along for a few more moments before he picked up both ores again and continued rowing. 

The two men continued on that path down the bayou for a few minutes more before Alastor finally began to drift towards the bank of the bayou, reaching out for land when he was close enough, and pulling the boat right up close.

Anthony stood from where he sat, hopping off of the boat and tying the vessel to the tree. He'd come a long way since the first time he was here.  
He couldn't help but smile at Alastor, offering his hand to him.  
"Might I assist you, my love?"

Watching to make sure that Anthony made it off the little boat and onto the land safely, Alastor then nodded as his lover offered his hand.  
"Why, how very kind of you."  
He huffed a laugh as he secured the ores and stood, taking Anthony's hand now and stepping off the boat with the other's assistance.

Anthony nodded with a smile.  
”My pleasure. Now, what're we doin' here exactly?"  
He asked, still holding Alastor's hand and even interdigitating.  
"Y' said y' needed t' do a few things?"

Letting their hands swing as their fingers intertwined, Alastor looked to Anthony now and raised his other hand, tapping his nose with his index finger twice.  
"Yes, there are a few things I have to see to in that old shed of mine. You're free to wander around while I do so, just don't get lost."

"Y' can't get too lost out here, I'm sure. Could climb a tree and see where I am if I gotta."  
The blonde replied, though taking the hint that Alastor would probably like to have time to himself while doing whatever it was he needed to do.

Alastor raised a brow at that. Clearly, Anthony hadn't much experience in very heavily wooded areas.  
"Hm yes, I suppose so. Just be careful."  
He shrugged in response, reaching into his pocket and finally pulling out his cigarette case. It felt like forever since he'd last had a smoke, having been inside his house where Amélie wasn't fond of the smell it brought, as strange as that was.

“Alright, I'll just be around then."  
Anthony said as he pulled out his lighter, waiting for his lover to have put a cigarette between his lips before offering the flame to him to save him the trouble.  
”Just call when you're good t' go."

Leaning over as he caught sight of the flame, Alastor quickly lit the end of the cigarette with a nod of thanks as he took a long drag.  
“Will do, my dear. Now don't get lost!"  
He sang out with a chuckle as the two went their separate ways for now, Alastor soon after making it to the clearing where his shed stood as it always had.

Anthony nodded, watching his lover walk away for a moment before looking to the left, and then the right, trying to decide where he was going to go from there. 

Putting his hands in his pockets, he mentally shrugged and turned to the right. There seemed to be an old path that was over that way so he would be able to follow the slightly overgrown strip back.

It was yet another wonderful day, sun shining, birds singing, and frogs croaking in the near distance.

After a solid minute of walking and stepping over fallen branches, something caught Anthony's eye off to the side. A patch of disturbed vegetation and dirt. With furrowed brows, the blonde strayed from the path to check the scene just out of curiosity. The closer he got, the more noticeable another patch became clear off to the left, and another to the right, and yet another further ahead.

Upon a little further inspection, without touching, Anthony knew exactly what these patches were and deemed himself ready to start making his way back and probably wait by the boat.

However, as he was backing away from the scene, he found himself falling backward after tripping over something that he must have naturally stepped over when arriving, old leaves being kicked up in the process.

Looking down at what it was he tripped over, Anthony's eyes widened and stumbled to his feet. Initially, he thought it was just a fallen branch of birch, but it wasn't; in fact, it was a bone of some sort and he certainly wasn't going to further inspect to see what kind it was or what it could have possibly come from. Instead, he ran back to the clearing, following the path he'd come through with.

Alastor's jacket was set down on the flattened and dry grass of the clearing as soon as he reached it. A clean whistle of a tune filled the air as the man unlocked the door to his shed and pulled open the wooden door, it being stiff as always due to the rusting hinges.

Once inside, Alastor set his knife down on the slab of wood that acted as a table, running across the right side of the shed.  
“Now then..."  
He muttered to himself, reaching over to a shelf and sorting through small drawers of all sorts of things he seemed to keep in them. Most were natural things, like dried plants in glass jars, however, there were some labeled vials of God knows what as well. 

Finally, Alastor got to what he wanted, the man plucking a curved yet rather small bone from one of the drawers and setting it down beside his knife.

Looking over the two objects, Alastor frowned.  
"Ah yes... I almost forgot."  
Leaving them where they were, he got up and moved outside again, picking up his jacket from the ground and rummaging around in one of the pockets. However, that was when he heard footsteps. Running.  
"Anthony?"

Anthony had obviously been spooked by his findings, tumbling out of the trees and tripping over his shoelaces as he ran toward the shed. The logic in this was clearly flawed to any normal person; running to the one that put all of that there in the first place, but Anthony knew he was safe. He just hadn't dealt with the aftermath of any killings before, so seeing and tripping over remains wasn't something he was used to or expecting. 

Scrambling to his feet again, he saw Alastor in his shed and sprinted right for him.  
"I know y' wan'ed t' be alone but I ain't wanderin' the area anymore. I'll be quiet, y' ain't even gunna know I'm here, promise!"  
He said quickly.

Alastor raised a brow as Anthony appeared from out of the trees, looking quite panicked. "Is... everything alright?"  
He asked, lowering his jacket he had in his hands.  
“You look quite shaken, my dear." 

Taking a few steps, expression still quite curious, Alastor tried to look over Anthony's shoulder to see if there was anything in the trees behind him. Was it perhaps the entity that had been causing mischief again?

“Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, everythin's fine and dandy. Just had a pleasant jaunt and tripped over some bones that I first thought was a weird lookin' branch or somethin', probably a victim of yours from a few years ago. Like I said, fine and _dandy_!"  
The blonde said rather quickly, looking over his shoulder a few times as well.

Alastor's brow raised all the more before he formed a frown again, shaking his head.  
"Ah, I see! No no no, what you tripped on wouldn't have been a _human_ bone, worry not my dear."  
He began, laughing it off it seemed, not quite understanding Anthony's shock, especially when he was aware that Alastor had victims in the first place.  
“The human bones are far deeper than that. What you tripped on... were the animal bones I buried on top."

“Great!"  
Anthony beamed almost sarcastically, patting Alastor's shirt.  
"That's fantastic! Are we good t' go now or are ya still workin'? I'll meet ya at the boat if y' ain't ready yet."

Pausing a second, a smirk rising to his face, Alastor spoke up again before Anthony could walk away.  
“Oh yes, I've barely started. But, you know... now that you've seen where I hide my victims..."  
Alastor began, taking a small step forward, smile widening.  
“I'm afraid you're going to have to join them. It's truly been a pleasure luring you, my dear!" 

Waiting a few seconds just to see Anthony's reaction, it was then that Alastor burst out laughing, holding his stomach slightly at how amusing this was.

Anthony's brows furrowed, pulling himself out of his near-frozen state and kicked the man in the shin.  
”That ain't funny!"  
He shouted, kicking him again for good measure.

Not even flinching at the kick to his shin, Alastor just kept on laughing, shaking his head now.  
"Haha, why I don't even have my knife on me! Your face was quite priceless, Anthony dearest."

“I'll kill _you_ b'fore y' get the chance t' kill _me_. Remember that b'fore ya act on that kinda bullshit."  
Anthony huffed, fixing his shirt a bit as he turned and started marching back to the boat, muttering under his breath.

"I'll see you soon, my love!" 

Alastor chuckled, waving at him as he began walking back to the boat in a bit of a huff.

Gripping his jacket again, Alastor brought it back with him to the shed, continuing with what he had been doing before the blonde's scare.

When he got to the boat, Anthony carefully climbed in and sat himself down on the floor of it, making sure he was comfortable, and then laid down. The gentle rocking of the boat on the water was actually really calming. His father always claimed to hate being on boats for that very reason, making him seasick.  
This was nice though, especially after nearly soiling himself. The gentle rocking paired with the ambiance, the sunshine, the birds and the frogs singing away. Beautiful and calming.

Alastor didn't bother to keep track of the time as he worked away in the wooden shed, however, when he decided it would be best to start heading back to the boat, he presumed it had been around an hour or so.

After gathering all of his belongings and pulling his jacket back on over his shoulders, Alastor began the short walk back to the boat where Anthony was waiting, seemingly resting.

"Beautiful day, is it not?"   
Alastor called as he stepped through the trees and watched over his lover from where he lay peacefully in the boat, soaking up the specs of sunlight shining through the gaps in the trees.

One green eye cracked open and looked up at the man watching from above. He'd heard him coming from the crunching of leaves as he walked.  
"Mhm... gorgeous."  
He replied with a bit of a hum.  
"Y' got everythin' y' need?"  
He asked, not sitting up just yet just in case Alastor needed time.

Bending down at the side of the boat and untying the rope he'd been using to dock it, Alastor threw it in, just barely missing Anthony with it before he stepped in himself with a chuckle.  
“Yes, we're good to go now."  
He smiled, taking a seat, not waiting for Anthony to sit up, he could lay down if he wished.

Anthony looked up at him, seeing there was no need to sit up, so he stayed down.  
"What took ya so long? We coulda been layin' here t'gether."  
He said as he closed his eyes again.

Humming in thought as he pushed off with his left hand from the river bank, Alastor just shrugged.  
"I had a few things to do, that's all. I would have joined you sooner otherwise." 

Gripping the ores now, the boat wading quietly through the water, Alastor began to slowly row them though, being careful not to row into any thick clumps of weeds or invasive water hyacinths that filled the swampy bayou.

The blonde started to sit up a bit, propping himself up on his elbows.  
"I ain't complainin'. I had a great time."  
He replied with a shrug, looking out over the edge of the boat before looking back up at the sky through the canopy of trees above.  
"What were ya doin' though?"  
He asked out of pure curiosity.

Glancing across at Anthony as he asked the question, Alastor put one of the ores down before patting the outside of one of his inner jacket pockets. 

"You'll see soon enough."

He grinned with a wink before continuing on with rowing.


	61. Chapter 61

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Hello, dear readers! We've returned!  
> There's a small change to the posting schedule to note: we will be posting every other week on Saturdays now.  
> Also, we FINALLY have some cover art! It's about time. You can find that on our Twitter: @KalteTravis  
> Anyway, glad to be back and we look forward to your reactions!~

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Saturday, August 11th, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

The carnival seemed to somehow be even busier than what it had been on Thursday. There were more people, everything was louder and it seemed just that much more alive.

The two of them had only just arrived, and the look of pure awestruck upon Anthony's face again was something that Alastor would have loved to have seen again and again.   
Amélie, despite her best efforts in wanting to join them, found that her latest shift at the hospital had been quite a tiresome one- as unfortunate as that was. Upon arriving back at Alastor's home from the bayou, she had told the two men to go on without her and for them to have a nice evening out regardless of her absence.

It was around four now, and if Alastor was correct that left them an hour to look around again before the Circus performance was to start. The fireworks were set for eight that evening, something that Alastor knew Anthony wouldn't want to miss either.

As he was handed a stick with some kind of fluffy cloud, Anthony thanked the man with a nod and he and Alastor continued on their way.  
"So... what d' ya call this stuff? Your mom said it goes by 'cotton candy', 'candy floss', or 'fairy floss'; kinda questionable, but which name do _you_ call it?"  
He asked as he pinched a bit of the pink cloud between his thumb and forefinger, feeling the texture of it. It was fluffy at first, but once it was put under pressure, it seemed to stick to itself and remain deflated and compressed.

"What do _I_ call it?"  
Alastor repeated, having turned down the sweet treat for himself, not in the mood for such a large amount of sugar.   
"Well, I suppose Mama _would_ call it fairy floss, however, that's quite the dated term here now. I call it cotton candy."   
He hummed, watching with a small huff of a laugh as Anthony got to experience the joy of trying the light pink cloud for the first time, it clearly bewildering him.

"Cotton candy it is then."  
The blonde nodded as he tore a piece off, examining it a little closer and seeing how it pulled apart into wispy fragments.  
"I guess this would be the part of the show that I put it in my mouth, huh?"  
He said with a tilt of his head, looking up at Alastor for a moment before popping the detached piece into his mouth, feeling the strange texture for a moment before...

"Al... Al, it's gone."  
Anthony said, eyes widening as he stopped, reaching beside him and putting a hand on Alastor's chest to get his attention; then opened his mouth and started trying to see if he could find the treat again with his fingers.  
Upon finding nothing, Anthony looked at the rest of the cotton candy that he held.  
"What kinda Houdini magic is this?"

The tiniest of smirks rose to Alastor's face as he witnessed Anthony trying the cotton candy for the first time and the wonder that always came with finding out that it quite literally disappeared in your mouth.

"Quite magical, isn't it."   
Alastor chuckled, looking around them, spotting all the people who had the cotton candy in their hands just like Anthony. It seemed the wonder of it never faded.

Anthony pulled another piece off and stuck his tongue out, touching the new piece to it for a moment just to see how it was done, pulling it away before it could disappear.   
His brows furrowed as he saw the little colored bubbles almost like dew where his tongue had touched.

"That's somethin' else."  
He commented, putting it in his mouth entirely now, feeling it disappear just the same as the last time.

"I'm quite positive you can get it in New York. You should perhaps try to find some when you get back."   
Alastor nodded, seeing as Anthony seemed to quite like the sweet candy.   
"If you had a machine, I'm sure you could even make it yourself, haha."

"Mm, yeah, sure. It's _that_ easy. Couple problems with that. First, I ain't allowed t' go out and have fun. There probably is this stuff back there, but I wouldn't know nor would I really be able t' find out 'cause work 'n stuff."  
Anthony explained, his hand waving around a bit as he spoke.  
"Second, a machine wouldn't be easy t' hide. Actually... there're rooms in the house pops don't go in or probably even know t' exist. Alright, it's just that first thing stoppin' me from livin' a life of sugary bliss."

"Rooms in the house your father doesn't know to exist? My dear, I'm sure that cannot be true."  
Alastor laughed, the image of Anthony creating cotton candy on the low down in some secret room coming to mind and making the brunette chuckle.

As they walked further away from the cotton candy stall now, Alastor began to look for any other food stalls around, delicious scents of some kind filling the air already.

Anthony shook his head as he walked with his lover, continuing off of what Alastor had said.  
"Oh no, I'm completely serious. The only rooms he really goes in are his office, his little... I dunno what t' call it- his pool room? The room that he plays pool with his friends? He goes into his bedroom, obviously, dinin' room... he knows where my room is, Molly's, and where Gio's old room is. He _doesn't_ go t' the west side of the second floor, I can say that for sure. That gives a whole..."  
He paused to count on his fingers.  
"...seven or eight rooms right there."

Alastor raised a brow, listening carefully as Anthony listed off rooms and then added on seven or eight more. He could say for sure that he certainly hadn't imagined Anthony to be living in such a seemingly large house, however, it did make sense and it almost made Alastor think _why_ he didn't realize that sooner.

A crime family, the Mafia- of course, there would be money in that regardless of whether that money was earned fairly or otherwise. Not to mention the hotel Anthony always stayed in when he visited the South, something that Alastor had taken note of the first time his lover arrived.  
"Golly, that's quite the home you must have. Rather you than me though. Imagine all the dust, ahaha!"

"Mhm, Molly's a trouper for cleanin' everythin'. Even the rooms she knows dad won't ever go into."  
The blonde said as he tore some more of the treat off of the stick and popped it in his mouth.   
"Fourteen rooms on the second floor and fifteen on the main. 'Course, we coulda had a bigger place, but dad knew that we didn't need all that extra space."

"Hm, I almost feel bad that your sister has to clean all of that. With _that_ many rooms, does she not get help?"   
Alastor wasn't sure why he hadn't ever inquired into the possibility of Anthony's family perhaps having maids or housekeepers around, as many large homes did, but now that the topic was there, he wouldn't just drop it. He honestly had no idea that Anthony's home was so big, and that was just from hearing about it.

"No help from outsiders, no. I usually discreetly step in and make sure the unused rooms are straightened out just so dad doesn't catch me. Sometimes I'll help in the kitchen too when I know he ain't around."   
The blonde explained with a small shrug.

Even with that explanation, that still led Alastor on to even more questions.   
"There's only the three of you living there at present, what's the need for all that space?"

"Social status or somethin' like that. The west wing is where we would let guests stay and tend t' our injured or sick family members, so the spare space is sometimes used."   
Anthony continued on to the next question, the two of them keeping their conversation relatively quiet since they were still out in public.   
"I think I explained why my family doesn't go t' hospitals last time I was here, didn't I?"

It really made sense if Alastor was being honest. He didn't know much about the Mafia, other than what Anthony had told him, of course, but everything that the blonde was saying now did fit.

"Yes, I believe you did explain that to me."   
Alastor nodded, stopping in his tracks for a moment and glancing back over his shoulder at a stall they'd just passed, a small line of people standing in front of it.   
"I will say though, it all sounds quite odd to someone who's not a part of any of that."   
He continued on, turning on his heels and walking over to get in line at the stall. The wonderful smelling stall that was selling fresh popcorn.

Anthony stuck to Alastor's side, not wanting to lose him in the crowds of people.   
"That's alright. There are things everyone else seems t' do that makes no sense t' me, so I ain't surprised there's things that don't click for ya either."   
Of course, they came from two very different worlds and lifestyles. It was only natural that there would be things they didn't understand about each other or what they did on a regular basis.

"What's this?"  
The blonde asked as he looked at the contents of the vendor Alastor had just lined them up at.

Pulling out his wallet, Alastor looked over at the Italian with a smile.   
"That would be popcorn, my friend."   
He responded, being careful not to use any words of endearment while he was in earshot of other people, despite how natural they usually came to him.   
"Quite the treat indeed, I will say. It's as delicious as it looks and smells too."

"Mind if I try some of yours?"  
Anthony asked as he watched a little girl skip off with two boxes of her own popcorn back to her awaiting supposed mother and father, handing one of the boxes up to them before they all continued on their way.

"Of course."   
Alastor nodded as he stepped forwards, being handed a red and white tall rectangular box filled with the crispy popcorn that had just been freshly made.   
Thanking the vendor and handing over the money, Alastor then stepped to the side, holding out the box of popcorn for Anthony to try some.   
"Unfortunately, this won't be melting in your mouth too much like cotton candy."

Anthony's brows raised as he plucked a single piece of popcorn from the top, examining it for a moment and then putting it in his mouth. It certainly didn't melt; the texture was the opposite of the cotton candy. Crunchy and much less sweet, but good nonetheless.   
"Hm, I like it! I'll have t' get some for myself later."  
He nodded as they walked.

"Oh yes, do. It lasts you an age too."   
Alastor nodded, looking around then for a moment. They seemed to have wandered quite far already, which was just as well.   
"While we're here, the stall where we had our photographs taken is just up ahead. I'm sure they'll be ready to collect now."   
Alastor beamed as he crunched down on some of the buttery popcorn.

It was then that Anthony patted Alastor's arm to get his attention again, even though he probably already had it.  
"We also gotta do that big wheel ride!"  
He smiled, remembering the promise he made to himself that it _would_ happen before everything got taken down.

Remembering Anthony's enthusiasm over wanting to ride on the Ferris Wheel at some point during their trip here, Alastor simply couldn't deny the Italian of his wishes.   
"Yes, of course. We could go after the circus if you'd like. It's always nice to go when it's darker, the lights lighting up everything is quite the sight."

"Maybe we could watch the fireworks from there too!"  
The blonde grinned excitedly, that smile only widening as he spotted the stand that they had their first photograph together taken at, it coming into view through the crowd. He really hoped the photographs came out alright.

"Yes, perhaps."  
Thankfully, there seemed to be no line at that moment at the stall with the photographer, the man looking in their direction as they approached. Alastor too hoped that the photographs came out okay; and even if only one was fine, that was alright too. He would let Anthony keep it regardless.

Anthony was really excited to see how the photographs came out. They'd already paid in advance, so that was one less thing they had to worry about.   
After Anthony gave their names, the photographer's assistant handed an envelope to the photographer.

"These turned out great. Certainly among my personal favorites."  
The man smiled, passing the envelope over to Alastor.

Alastor nodded at the man, taking the envelope.  
"Why, thank you very much!"  
He smiled, giving him a tip of his hat before turning away with Anthony.  
"Let's have a look, shall we?"  
He suggested, giving their envelope a little shake before passing it over to the blonde.   
"You can open them if you'd like."

Anthony smiled and took the envelope from Alastor's hand with bright and excited eyes. He didn't waste a moment in opening their little package of memories, pulling out the two photographs.  
"Oh my god..."  
He muttered, examining both of the identical images before raising them and turning them so that Alastor could see too.   
"They're perfect!"

Alastor could feel his smile widening as he looked over the two black and white pictures, being careful not to put any fingerprints upon the front of it.   
"Why, I think they're just swell!"   
He exclaimed, very happy with how they'd turned out.   
"I'll be sure to have this framed no doubt."

The blonde smiled wider and carefully started to put them back into the safe covering of the envelope.   
"I'm gunna frame it and keep it in the floorboards under my bed where I keep all of your letters."  
He stated in a bit of a hushed voice, handing the envelope back to his lover to hold onto considering he had his jacket pockets.

Taking the envelope back and carefully putting it away in his pocket, Alastor nodded as Anthony quietly explained what he was going to do with his photo.   
"You must have quite a bit of space under your floorboards then. I do believe I've sent quite a lot of letters over the years."   
He chuckled softly, continuing with eating the rest of his popcorn now.

"Mhm. Thirty-four, I think. I know it's in the thirties. It ain't that bad considerin' ya keep all your letters average of one page long."  
Anthony replied, still working away at his cotton candy, having managed to put a sizable dent in it by now.

Alastor raised a slight brow, surprised that Anthony knew how many letters he'd written to him. Then again, he knew exactly how many Anthony had sent him too, so he couldn't really talk much.  
"And there are many more to come too. "   
He smiled back at him, looking at the stick of candy floss Anthony had slowly been eating.   
"Say, should we start making our way towards the circus? The performance will be starting soon."

Anthony was still surprised that Alastor was still very much willing to return to the circus after the fallout the last time they were there, but was thankful regardless. He still really wanted to see the show.

"I think that's a fine idea, Smiles."  
He nodded, snatching another piece of popcorn from Alastor's little box with a smirk, the both of them then heading for the circus tent.

It was a good thing he remembered their tickets before they came out.

The circus was fairly close now, Alastor only half done with his popcorn. As for Anthony with his cotton candy? Well, it looked like he still had a fair ways to go with that as well.

As they approached the public entrance of the tent, Anthony pulled the tickets out of his pocket and handed them to the ticket taker, and then walked with Alastor inside, finding a spot on the bleachers; many people already having piled inside.

"Y' think this is gunna be their last show or is there one more scheduled?"  
Anthony asked as he tore another piece of cotton candy from his bunch.

Looking around at the place as they entered inside, Alastor nodded as they took a seat.  
"Hm, I think it potentially could be their last. I wouldn't think that there would be any more performances later on today."   
Alastor shrugged, seeing that the inside of the circus was quickly filling with people to the maximum capacity.   
"And tomorrow they'll be packing everything away to move on."

"Guess we came at a good time, huh?"  
Anthony smiled too, snagging another piece of Alastor's popcorn for himself before looking back at the curtain leading to the back of the tent; seeing a familiar face peering out at the crowds of people.  
"Oh hey! It's Loretta!"  
He pointed out with a laugh.

Alastor raised a brow, squinting down at the curtain, being able to just about make out that it was indeed Loretta.   
"Ah yes, so it is."   
He nodded; however, he was quite sure that with all these people around, there was no way that Loretta was going to be able to spot both him and Anthony. Not unless she was looking for them specifically at least.

Loretta ducked back behind the curtain rather quickly and a few moments later, the ringmaster came out, stepping in time with drum beats as a spotlight shone down on him.

"Ladies and gentlemen!"  
He began, a subtle accent noticeable within his words as he spoke.  
"We graciously welcome you all to our home! Our home that is filled with _incredible_ wonders that are not for the faint-hearted. Rest assured that you are all safe in the presence of our fantastical beasts."  
The man said with a humble bow of his head, the audience silent in anticipation.  
"Now, without further ado, Avalon Circus!"  
A burst of flames came up from behind the ringmaster as he called the name of the circus, earning gasps and applause from everyone surrounding the set stage, the fire-breather and the fire dancers stepping out from behind the man and starting the performance.

From there, lights from above lit the trapeze stage and the show commenced.  
The audience, Anthony included despite having a fair idea of what to expect, were all in awe and slack-jawed as they watched the amazing tricks and stunts unfold.

Of course, Anthony made sure to be aware that they were in a public setting, therefore, he couldn't grab onto Alastor at points during the performance when he was startled or excited.

As Alastor knew it would have been, the performance was most exceptional, and the brunette hadn't expected anything less. He would say, by the end of everything, he was sitting very much closer to the edge of his seat than he had been when it had started.   
The acts were flawless and daring, and the presence of a full house audience only added to the suspense of the entire performance.

Alastor could tell that, even after having watched the rehearsal, Anthony was in even more awe of everything. Every once in a while, Alastor couldn't help but catch himself very briefly staring at the blonde who was completely immersed in everything with a wonder like none other.

Once everything had ended and the ringmaster made his closing speech, thanking the audience, people began to clear out of the tent to rejoin the events outside.  
Anthony, on the other hand, stayed where he was and leant back with a big smile on his face.

"Geez, I didn't know how much greater that coulda gotten considerin' last time we were here, but that was so incredible with the added music and the lights. And the _audience_ too!"   
The blonde sighed, feeling his excitement finally start to simmer after having been at its peak the entire performance.

Alastor chuckled, reaching down to pick up his now empty box of popcorn off of the floor.   
"Wasn't it just swell? Certainly quite the performance indeed. Definitely one of my favorites."

Anthony took advantage of Alastor picking up an empty box and threw the now empty stick from his cotton candy into the box, letting out a deep breath.  
"I'm kinda sad knowin' I ain't gunna see anythin' like it again. I'm glad we came."  
He smiled and brought a hand up to run through his blonde locks as he looked over at the brunette.

Alastor shook his head at that, looking towards the exit of the tent which was still quite crowded, filtering people out.   
"You never know, my friend. I'm quite certain a circus will visit New York in due time, and perhaps with a day off and your skills of stealthiness, you may be able to see all of this again."   
He replied with a firm nod, looking across into Anthony's eyes now.

Anthony's expression softened the moment their eyes met in the dimmer lighting of the tent, tilting his head slightly.  
"Hard t' say, but I hope you're right."  
He replied, wanting to take Alastor's hand but knew that he still had to wait.

Alastor paused a moment, looking away with a fond smile of his own now.   
"Oh, I'm _always_ right, haha!"   
Looking back over to the exit, he could see that there were fewer people trying to get out now, which was good.   
"Come on, we should get going if we want to watch the fireworks on the Ferris Wheel. I can already imagine the line is quite lengthy."

It was probably best that they get going. Anthony would have liked to stay and congratulate their friends on such an amazing performance, but after a fair number of shows and having to prepare to pack everything up the next day, they would undoubtedly want this time to rest.

"Sounds like a good plan. Maybe we can stop over t'morrow and say goodbye b'fore we go t' Madeline's party? I know it's kinda outta the way, but I'd like t' see 'em all one more time."  
Anthony explained with a shrug, standing from his spot and slowly heading over to the exit.

Standing up just after Anthony, Alastor looked around at where they had been sitting just to make sure they'd got everything.   
"Yes, perhaps we could."   
Alastor smiled, the two of them making their way down from the bleachers and towards the exit of the tent.

As the tarp was held open, the dimming sunlight shone into the space, causing Anthony to squint and hold his hand up to shield his eyes.  
"So, fireworks usually start after the sun goes down, right?"  
He asked, looking back at Alastor.  
"What time is it now?"

Alastor nodded again, looking across the sky, seeing that the sun would be setting very soon.   
At Anthony's question, Alastor reached into his jacket and pulled out his pocket watch, checking the time.   
"Well, it's almost seven now. The sun will be setting fairly soon, and the fireworks are set for eight if I'm correct."   
He replied, snapping the pocket watch closed and putting it back again.

Anthony clapped his hands together and grinned.  
"Perfect! That'll give us time t' go get some more popcorn and then get in the queue! Even if we get there a little early, I'm sure a little incentive would work in keepin' us in the good spot at the very top."  
He said, nudging Alastor a bit with a wink.

Alastor couldn't help but chuckle again at Anthony's enthusiasm and cheerfulness today; it was nothing short of refreshing.   
"Sounds like a plan to me!"   
He replied with a wide smile, hoping that they would be able to at least be somewhere close to the very top of the Ferris wheel when the fireworks hit.

They only had so much time, so leading the way this time, Anthony quickly started weaving his way through the crowds and back to the popcorn wagon, only stopping at the end of the line before turning to see how far Alastor was.  
"Y' want another?"  
He asked when he knew he was close enough to be heard, pulling his wallet from his pocket.

Alastor watched fondly as Anthony began weaving through the crowds of people, walking quickly so that he could get in the line for the popcorn.  
As he followed behind him, Alastor was also on the lookout for a trash can of some sort. Eventually finding one and tossing the empty popcorn box in there, he quickened his walking pace.   
Catching up soon enough and standing beside the blonde in the line, Alastor shook his head.   
"No, I'm quite alright. I'll steal some of yours if I feel like having a few bites more."   
He replied with a laugh.

"Alright, I guess that's fair."

The blonde smiled with a chuckle too.   
"So t'morrow. When are we gunna be headin' over t' Rosie's? We're supposed t' be there for three. D' ya think she'll need help settin' up?"  
He continued on, glancing at Alastor as the line moved a bit.

Fixing his hat a bit, Alastor slowly shook his head.   
"I can't imagine that Rosie would need too much help. And I'm sure if we arrived too early, she would be quite annoyed, you know how Rosie is."   
Shrugging, Alastor pulled out his pocket watch again and checked the time before glancing to the sun in the sky, it slowly starting to go down.   
"If we arrived at three, I'm sure she'll be satisfied. Madeline will probably arrive early with her husband."

Anthony nodded.  
"Alright, if ya say so. Should we bring some beignets with us d' ya think?"  
He asked, stepping forward and handing over the coins, and requesting one box with a smile.  
Once he received his popcorn, he stepped out of the line and started walking with Alastor back toward the Ferris Wheel.

Looking around them as they started toward the wheel, Alastor again nodded.   
"And it's not simply because _you_ wish for some beignets?"   
He replied with a small smirk, looking across at the other briefly.   
"But regardless. Yes, I think that would be an idea."

"So what if I want 'em? _You're_ the one who introduced me to 'em in the first place."  
The blonde replied with a raised brow, taking a few pieces of popcorn and popping them in his mouth.  
"My addiction is all your fault."

"Yes, I'm sure it would have been _all_ my fault."  
Alastor chuckled, trailing off as they continued on their way.   
Soon enough, both of them were able to join the end of the line for the Ferris wheel.

There were quite a lot of people already lined up, but thankfully the sun hadn't set just yet, and it wasn't eight yet either. They still had time, especially with the wheel moving so slowly.  
"Are you excited to go on the wheel?"   
Alastor asked as they waited, looking to Anthony.

"You bet I am!"  
The blonde nodded as he looked up at the massive ride; however, his attention was suddenly pulled away from the wheel at the unexpected sound of their names being called from behind them.

Alastor glanced in the direction that he heard their names being called, raising a brow as both Brania and Loretta began walking towards them.

"Oh, hey!"  
Anthony grinned.  
"We were gunna come back t'morrow and say our goodbyes. The show was amazin'!"

"Brania, you were right- we _did_ find them."   
Loretta laughed slightly, nodding as they stopped beside the two men in line for the Ferris wheel.  
"Thank you for watching, it was nice to spot you two in the audience earlier. We came to say our goodbyes now because this will all be packed away soon."

Anthony raised a brow.  
"Y' ain't gunna be here in the mornin'?"

"No, we pack through night and should be gone by sunrise."  
Brania explained, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Oh... well, I'm glad ya came t' find us then. It woulda been upsettin' t' see everythin' gone t'morrow."  
The blonde smiled a bit.

"It certainly was quite the performance; I was thoroughly entertained!"   
Alastor smiled, Anthony and him stepping forwards and moving up the line a little more.

"Yes, I'm sure everyone at the Avalon Circus will miss you both. It was nice to get to know you while we could."  
Loretta replied with a smile, however, something from the corner of her eye suddenly caught her attention. Stepping away a moment, she walked over to the side of a nearby stall and carefully took down one of the circus posters before returning to the others.   
"Do any of you have a pencil?"

"Oh, ah..."  
Anthony patted his pockets for a moment, certain that he did. Reaching in, he took out a pen and handed it over with a smile.  
"Here ya go."  
He smiled.

Brania took the pen and handed it to Loretta.  
"We will miss you, yes. Goodbye is hard."

Taking the pen with a thank you, Loretta spun Brania around and comfortably began to use her back as a table to write upon. Leaning the poster against the tall woman, Loretta started to quickly write, humming as she did so. She didn't take too long, soon pulling the poster off of Brania's back and handing it and the pen over to Anthony.   
"There you are. It's our goodbye message to you both."

Anthony took the pen and poster, looking at it, smiling as he read it over before then looking back at the two women.

"Thanks. Y' know, I'm really gunna miss ya. I'll definitely be keepin' my eyes open for any sign of ya comin' t' New York. I'd love t' see all of ya again."

Alastor glanced over Anthony's shoulder at the writing on the poster, however, upon noticing that it was written in what he presumed to be Italian, he looked away. He'd get Anthony to translate for him in due time.   
"And if you ever return here to New Orleans, I will be sure to visit again."   
He smiled widely, looking over to the two women now.

"Brania and I won't ever forget."   
Loretta grinned back, nudging the Russian and linking their arms together.

"Ah, damn it, you're gunna make a man cry with all these goodbyes."  
Anthony chuckled, opening his arms to hug them after passing his box of popcorn to Alastor for him to hold.

Brania didn't waste a second, wrapping her arms around the blonde, picked him up with a tight squeeze and a laugh as the air left Anthony's lungs with a wheeze.  
"You are good favorite little boy."  
She heartily chuckled, lowering him back down to the ground.

Alastor watched with a smirk as Anthony was picked right up off of the ground and squeezed, much like upon his first time meeting Brania.

Anthony was more or less frozen as he tried to get himself back in order.  
"I ain't little, but thanks. You're my favorite strong woman."  
He laughed, offering to Loretta next.

"Little in the best sense."   
Alastor chuckled quietly.

Loretta strongly wrapped an arm around Anthony in a quick hug of her own, patting him on the back a few times before pulling away.   
"Ci vediamo, amico mio. Ciao."  
[See you again, my friend. Goodbye.]

Anthony may or may not have felt a few tears forming as he let go.  
"Ti ricorderemo. Ciao."  
[We will remember you. Goodbye.]  
He replied with a small wave.

Brania gave Anthony one final pat on the head before linking arms with Loretta again, the both of them waving at the men with a 'good luck' before making their way back toward the tent.

Alastor, at least, appreciated not being hugged to death, however, did give the two women a small wave in return as they walked away. When he looked back over to Anthony, his face softened upon seeing his lover's slightly glossy green eyes.   
"It's okay. People come and go, my friend. Perhaps we will see them again. You never know what the future holds."  
He slowly explained in a reassuringly sweet tone, looking towards the Ferris Wheel and seeing that they were almost at the front of the line now.

Anthony nodded and smiled a bit.  
"Gunna miss 'em. Not gunna miss gettin' manhandled when hugged though."  
He sighed with a small laugh.

Chuckling at that, Alastor nodded as he reached across and grabbed some of Anthony's popcorn.   
"I suppose it would be wise to wait until we are out of the way before you read the translation of that note?"   
He guessed, both of them stepping forwards in the line again.   
The sun had almost completely set now, the reds and oranges of sunset mixing with the dark of the night sky. It seemed their timing for the fireworks was almost impeccable.

Anthony nodded.

"Yeah, I'll read it for ya when we're outta the way. Remind me."  
He said, taking a small glance around at all of the people that were still around, then looked to the sunset, smiling even more at the beautiful gradients behind the few clouds that were in the sky.

When they got to the front, Anthony tapped the man operating the wheel on the shoulder and gestured for him to come closer.  
"I'd appreciate it if ya could stop the ride when I'm at the very top and the fireworks start."  
He whispered, looking around as he slipped a few notes of money into the man's hand.   
"Think ya could do that for me?"

"Of course."  
The man replied in appreciation, not seeming to mind at all before pocketing the money and leading them to their seat.

Alastor, of course, caught sight of Anthony slipping the man who ran the wheel some money, however, didn't say anything. He supposed a little bribery never hurt anyone.   
Taking a seat on the ride beside Anthony, Alastor sat back as the bar was pulled down and they were safely in, the man starting the wheel shortly after; and just like that, they began to lift off the ground.

Anthony held onto the bar with one hand, grip tightening when they started to move. He knew he was safe but that didn't seem to stop the nerves.  
"Alright, now would be a pretty good time for some reassurance-"  
The blonde gulped slightly, seeing the ground getting further away.

Alastor looked to Anthony as they started to lift up, the brunette smiling.   
"Oh, we're quite safe, my dear. Focus on the sky rather than the ground."   
He nodded, the wheel stopping shortly after they'd lifted, people getting off and on the carriage below them.

Anthony took that advice and lifted his gaze from the ground and brought it up to the sky, focusing on the fading colors as the sun started to kiss the horizon.  
"It's been goin' all day so it can handle one more round b'fore breakin', right?"  
He laughed nervously.

"Hey."   
Alastor began, gently nudging Anthony's side.   
"We'll be just fine."   
He replied confidently, looking to the sky as well, watching the sun as it began to sink upon the horizon, the sky darkening.   
Bringing out his pocket watch, Alastor nodded at the time. They had five minutes.

Anthony nodded, doing his best to relax as he started eating his popcorn in hopes it would act as an adequate distraction.  
Soon, they were hoisted once again, stopping to let another set of people off and let new ones on.   
Anthony took that chance to look around again, wiping his sweating hand on his pants before resting it over Alastor's hand out of sight.

Alastor raised a brow as he felt Anthony's hand upon his own, pulling his gaze away from the sky and quickly down. Knowing their hands couldn't be seen and that no one from the ground would necessarily be looking at them, Alastor gently let their fingers intertwine as he held his lover's hand, the wheel lifting them even further up off the ground, almost at the very top now.

The blonde found himself able to calm down a lot easier this way, smiling fondly as he looked at Alastor, appreciating his willingness.  
Just as they got to the very top, a loud whistling sound echoed through the area, followed by a loud bang with shimmering yellow light in the sky, pulling Anthony's attention up, his smile widening.

While loud noises did scare him a bit, he knew what to expect when it came to fireworks. Thunder was always unpredictable. Of course, there was often the flashes that came before the noise, but the volume of the thunder itself was never consistent.

Alastor watched the sky as it began to light up in an explosion of colors, beautiful sparks flying everywhere with their popping and banging sounds.   
Cheering and clapping could be heard from down below, and there was absolutely no doubt about it; they had the best seats in the house- or the field.

"Isn't it just beautiful?"   
Alastor hummed, watching as a series of smaller pink and green fireworks were spat out into the sky.

Anthony gave Alastor's hand a gentle squeeze, looking at him for a moment, and whispered.  
"Not as beautiful as you."  
Then looked back up at the sky with bright eyes and bright dimples due to his smile despite the inner cringe.

Alastor did laugh at that, the man reaching over and stealing some of Anthony's popcorn in return. 

"Hm, always _so_ smooth."   
He chuckled with a shake of his head, staring for a moment into Anthony's green eyes, seeing the colored reflections of the fireworks shining against them, only making this moment between them all the more precious.

Anthony looked back at Alastor after a moment, his smile still very much alive. He gave his hand another squeeze and hoped that his eyes would be enough to tell him he loved him considering the fact that he couldn't say it himself mostly due to the noise.

The fireworks were perhaps at their peak now, the sky louder and brighter than ever. Seeing that he had Anthony's brief attention, Alastor whispered those three words, knowing that his lover would be able to read his lips regardless of how loud everything else was.

Anthony's cheeks warmed slightly, mouthing the four words in return. He let his gaze linger for a few moments, wishing he could lean in and kiss his lover, but knew he couldn't. He then looked back up at the bright and colorful display, set on enjoying it while he could. It was rare that he got to see things like this.

Alastor's smile grew wider in return as their gazes moved back to the fireworks. For however much longer the spectacular firing light show lasted, Alastor and Anthony were focused, their intertwined hands not going anywhere, even when the final firework popped and began to disperse a brilliant blue color in the air, more cheers and clapping being heard from down below.

There was a pause as the applause and cheers settled before the Ferris Wheel started moving again, Anthony snapping out of his awestruck daze, letting go of Alastor's hand out of reflex.  
"That was great."  
He said, grabbing a few pieces of popcorn.

Settling his hands neatly in his lap once Anthony let go, Alastor slowly nodded, beginning to feel the wheel start to slowly bring them down again.   
"I'm glad that you got to see such a thing, my dear. Fireworks really are marvelous creations, are they not?"

"Mhm, the few times I got t' see 'em they were pretty good. Nothin' compared t' this though; for obvious reasons."  
Anthony chuckled lightly, sitting back again and finishing off his snack.

Soon enough, the wheel had lowered them to the ground again, the man running the ride coming over to them and lifting the bar so that they could get out.   
"Thank you kindly."   
Alastor nodded in the man's direction, tipping his hat.

Anthony stood, smiling with a nod.  
"Thanks. Have a good night, yeah?"  
He then turned to Alastor as they began walking away.  
"So, home?"  
He asked as he finished his popcorn, tossing the box into the trash that happened to be nearby.

Humming in thought for a moment, looking around them, Alastor eventually nodded.  
"Home it is!"   
He smiled at the blonde, lighting up a cigarette for their trek back to Alastor's home.   
"Why, I'd say that today has been quite enjoyable indeed."

"Y' know, I gotta agree with ya on that."  
Anthony nodded, lighting his own cigarette.  
"Now, I'm wonderin' if I should stop at the hotel on our way back and pick some stuff up so we can head right t' Rosie's t'morrow, or if I should just do it all in the mornin'. What'd ya think?"  
He asked, looking up at Alastor as they walked through the crowds together.

Alastor thought about that one for a moment, taking a drag of his cigarette.  
"Well, we do have to stop off at the bakery tomorrow for beignets, so regardless, we won't be heading immediately to Rosies."   
He began.   
"And the bakery is fairly close to the hotel anyways. So if it were me, I would wait until morning."

"Sure, makes sense."  
Of course, it didn't matter to Anthony either way. He did want to get back to Alastor's house and rest up after their exciting day out- a lot had happened.


	62. Chapter 62

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day!  
> A few small notes to go with this special chapter:  
> This chapter takes place in the future- so far into the future that we kept things vague to avoid spoilers and just because things might be subject to change.  
> Hope you all enjoy and have an awesome day!

Mardi Gras wasn't until the first of March this year, but despite the late start of carnival season, that didn't mean that Crescent City wasn't already starting to elaborately prepare for it all.

February 14th, Valentine's Day, the special day of the year that was reserved for a loved one; somebody you held dear and could call your partner. Unfortunately, growing up, nobody had celebrated Valentine's Day in his home. Of course, Alastor knew _of_ it, but his mother had been one to just press on with working. It was just another day.

As for Alastor himself? Well, he hadn't had much of a need to even think about celebrating the day. Not with Anthony living so far away and his own opinions on celebrations like those. Usually, a brief mention of the date had been addressed in their letters to each other, or a small acknowledgment of it through a phone call; but this year was different on all counts.

Just as expected around this time of year, New Orleans was never short of high spirit. With the boom of... well, everything having happened that decade, it was safe to say that any sort of celebration that passed was an absolute catch for businesses of all sorts. Tourism was rife, the streets of the city certainly busier than any other time of year. Alastor didn't mind it too much; it gave him many more people to observe so long as none of them bothered him.

The paper bag of beignets was warm in his hand; a small treat after a horribly boring Monday at work. The weekend before it had been interesting, to say the least, but that was in the past. In fact, much of the previous week, in general, had been interesting in a sense- but again, that was in the past. Alastor liked to live in the present and plan for the future.

The place he called home was just up ahead, Alastor's smile more than wide upon his face as it always was, a bouncing spring in his step. Soon enough, the metal ring of a key was being swung around his finger, the tall man stopping in his tracks and unlocking the front door.

Within the house, something was a little different from when Alastor had left that morning. When he unlocked and opened the door, everything was dark except for some dim light coming from the dining room.  
Truth be told, Anthony had worked tirelessly to make this Valentine's day a special one. With everything that had happened, this was something he couldn't wait to do and the pick-me-up was definitely something he needed; having lit ample candles and made dinner for the two of them. This was their first Valentine's day together after all. It _needed_ to be special.

At the sound of footsteps just outside and the sound of the door opening, the blonde placed the plates of food down on either side of the table and sat down in his usual spot with excitedly gleaming green eyes. He watched for his partner to come through.

Alastor's suspicions were more than raised as he neatly set his shoes by the door and hung up his hat. If his nose was anything to go by, then some sort of food was undoubtedly cooking- or had been cooked recently.   
He was quite sure that Anthony had told him that he would be out all day, but he supposed the time was quite late, so Anthony may well have been back already.

Still not saying a word or announcing himself, Alastor quietly stepped through the dark narrow home towards the back dining room, entity close behind him right at his heels.

His eyes had already adjusted to the dark, however, it was at the sight of dim candlelight highlighting the dining room in a soft golden glow, that Alastor's grinning smile widened all the more.

His partner's face was tired, but it was clear that a considerable amount of effort had been put into all of this. Those eyes akin to emeralds never ceased to inspire Alastor.

"My my, what is all of this, my darling?"

As soon as Alastor came into view, Anthony stood from his seat despite having just sat down. He questioned himself for this but continued anyway. Alastor's question made his smile falter slightly.  
"It's... a special day, Al... don't 'cha remember?"  
He asked softly while his fingertips fiddled with the fine white tablecloth in mild anxiousness.

"I mean... if not, I guess this is just a kinda treat for us. I thought it'd help me feel a little better about... things-"  
He didn't want to bring any of what had happened to the surface; not when there was a pleasant evening he'd planned just ahead of them.

Alastor's chin raised slightly, his need for chaos too strong.   
"A special day? Why Anthony, today is merely a Monday, is it not?"   
Humming lightly as he looked over the table, Alastor circled it slightly, not yet sitting down.

Anthony was dressed nicely, and the food that was laid out? Well, it looked simply divine. He really was quite hungry, so perhaps he would end this small facade soon.   
"Regardless, this all looks magnificent my dear. I appreciate the effort as I'm sure you can tell."   
And just like that, Alastor was casually waltzing back towards the hallway again.

Anthony's lips pursed into a thin line and his gaze fell to look down at the food he'd made as he debated whether or not to say something. Just as his partner was about to step out of the room, the blonde looked up again.  
"Y' ain't hungry or somethin'? If not, I can put this away for later."  
If that was the case, he was going to put both plates away and turn in for the night.

Alastor forgetting about what day it was made his appetite shrink into near nonexistence. It had come up a few times in the past few weeks and for him to dismiss this without a second thought was making him think he shouldn't have even bothered to make an effort. It took a lot of effort for Anthony to even get out of bed every morning as it was, so it took everything for him to make such a great meal and set all of this up.

Alastor made sure to be quick as he swayed out into the hallway. He took note of the very obvious disappointment that hung over Anthony's words, and that alone was enough to make even him feel somewhat bad.

"Oh no no, I'm quite starved!"   
He replied, voice echoing throughout the house as he began to rush up the stairs. However, he didn't get far; the man stopped halfway up, pausing at the box that lay on the very top step. Well, that saved him some time at least.   
"Thank you."   
Carefully scooping up the flat rectangular box, Alastor made his way back down to the ground floor.  
In response, the shadows gave a whisper of acknowledgment. 

Anthony sat back down and looked at his plate now that it had been confirmed that Alastor did, in fact, want to partake in what had been made.

"Now Anthony, I'm sure you must be quite confused. And I don't blame you."  
Calling out to the Italian before he'd even entered the room, Alastor hid the box as best as he could behind his back, although he wasn't exactly inconspicuous about it.

"But, there's no need-"   
Pausing, Alastor stepped back into the dining room again, dramatically revealing the box from behind his back with much enthusiasm.   
"Happy Valentine's Day, mon amour."

When Alastor returned, the blonde wiped his eyes and looked up at his partner, making sure to put on a smile even though it probably looked a little forced. Then, the box was held out in front of him and there were words to follow that made Anthony absolutely melt. He probably should have been upset that Alastor had played with him like that, but he knew how his lover was and knew that he didn't mean any harm by it.

"Y' remembered and got me somethin'?"  
Anthony's smile turned genuine awfully quick and stood from his seat again. He took the rather large box in hand and carefully pulled the top up to see what was inside.

Alastor's smile was static upon his face as he focused all his attention on watching Anthony open up the box; a gift which had been quite the trouble to get, surprisingly.

"Oh, Alastor..."  
The blonde sniffed, put the lid back on, set the box down on the floor and out of the way, and finally brought his arms up and around Alastor's neck in a tight embrace.  
"I love it... thank you."  
He smiled, punctuating that with a few kisses on the cheek.

"You really thought I would forget such a thing? That's absurd, dear."  
Pausing at the arms around his neck and the kisses to his cheek, Alastor relaxed a little, leaning himself down.   
"My thoughts are always with you."  
Pressing a gentle singular kiss to the top of Anthony's head, the brunette soon pulled away and sat down at the table just as Anthony had originally intended.

"I'm relieved you like it though. I value your happiness more than anything, and I _do_ appreciate all of this effort, Anthony."   
Ever the smooth talker he supposed, but enough of that. His stomach growled in protest, reminding him of the food that awaited them both.

Anthony took the hint and sat down in his own chair across from his partner.  
"I've been plannin' all week for this. Maybe, if y' ain't too tired after this, I thought that maybe we could have a dance or two?"  
He suggested as he picked up his fork. His mood had gotten infinitely better in the span of a few seconds; leave it to Alastor to hold that sort of power.

Alastor, of course, could already tell even from the suggestion alone that Anthony's mood had improved. Alastor knew how to read a smile very well, and Anthony's in the moment that he suggested they dance later on, was nothing short of genuine.   
"A dance sounds just swell. After a tiresome day of work, why, I can't think of anything I would want more. Especially on such an occasion."  
It was, after all, the first Valentine's Day they were spending together.

"This food is quite delightful; I assume you gathered it all this morning?"  
The brunette asked after a few moments of eating in comfortable silence.

Anthony nodded as a response until he was able to properly swallow his food shortly after.  
"Mhm, don't think I'll be goin' out again for a while though. Still had that same weird feelin' from b'fore, y' know?"  
For quite some time now, the blonde had been feeling as if he was being watched very closely and even followed. Given all that had happened, he wouldn't have been surprised that it was fact rather than something as simple as paranoia.

"Anyway, I hope y' had an okay day at work t'day 'n there was no trouble for ya. I know there's been a couple broads out after ya..."

Alastor couldn't help the burst of amused laughter that escaped between his smiling lips. Letting his fork wave around in his loose hold, the man shook his head.   
"Oh no no no, they're all sheep, Anthony. You know how it is. One does something and the rest take notice and follow. Quite mundane."   
Lowering his fork, Alastor took another bite.  
"But really, amour, let's not talk about such trivial matters when today is a special occasion for the both of us, hm?"

"Oh, yeah, that's probably best."  
The blonde nodded. He really just wanted to make normal conversation with his partner, but it seemed that his first approach wasn't quite the way to go.

He took another bite to help stall so that he could think of something else to talk about if anything came to mind at all. By the time he swallowed his second mouthful, he hadn't thought of anything really substantial but something came to mind.  
"So, um... how long has that been sittin' around?"  
He asked and gestured toward the box that sat on the floor beside him.

Alastor perked up at the conversation topic, his smile warming a little as he placed his glass down after sipping at the alcoholic beverage he'd got his hands on.   
"Just over a week at most, nothing longer than that. I'm sure you won't even _believe_ the trouble I went through to get it though."   
It was conversations like these that Alastor loved. The simple moments between the two of them, little conversations.   
"The one place I finally settled on, well, I had to keep going back there just to confirm everything. It's surprising you didn't suspect anything beforehand, haha."

Anthony smiled and huffed a small laugh with a shake of his head.  
"Yeah, well, I love it anyway. Thanks for goin' through all the trouble t' get it for me. I could put it on when we dance if y' want? See if it's been worth all that trouble?"  
He asked as he prepared another bite of his food.

Already had Alastor almost finished with his meal, the plate near completely clean of everything that Anthony had made.   
"That would be wonderful, yes. I would like to see it."  
Responding softly, he soon set his cutlery down and sat back in his seat, patiently waiting for Anthony to finish as well.  
"Why, it feels like so long since we last shared a dance..."

The blonde paused loading his fork with the final mouthful of food and looked up at Alastor again.  
"Yeah? I mean, we've only danced once since I got here..."  
It was at that fading comment that Anthony's gaze fell down to his plate again, lips pursing and biting the inside of his cheek. It really had been that long since the incident.  
His eyes closed for a moment, trying to push those thoughts away so that they could continue with their special evening, then opened those glistening green pools and forced himself to take the last bite of food. Every time he thought about those events, he would lose his appetite completely.

Face softening a little at the slight comment, Alastor sighed and slowly reached a hand out across the table in search of Anthony.   
"You're doing well."  
The brunette nodded, hand resting on top of the blonde's; and as he looked up, he noticed that he wasn't the only one comforting the Italian. Regardless of whether Anthony could feel it or not, a shadowed hand was placed upon his shoulder in a sort of comforting way.

The blonde felt the chill on his shoulder and the warmth resting on top of his hand, causing him to look up at Alastor for a moment and then back at the looming shadow.  
A small smile pulled at the left corner of his mouth, truly grateful that he had so much comfort here.

Looking at Alastor again, Anthony placed his other hand on top after finishing his mouthful.  
"Thanks... I'm really happy t' be here with ya 'n have the support I got..."  
He smiled a little more and nudged his empty plate aside so that he could comfortably rest his elbows on the table.  
"Y' mean a lot to me."

"Haha, there's that wonderful smile of yours! I knew it was there somewhere."   
Alastor chuckled lightly, taking note of the dimple that began to show upon Anthony's left cheek.

Reaching for Anthony's plate, Alastor stacked both that one and his own up in front of him, planning to clear everything away himself since the other had made the effort of dinner.   
"I'm simply relieved that you are here. After everything."   
The last few years in particular had been quite hard on the both of them, life seemingly throwing more and more obstacles their way, but for even just an evening like this, it was nice to forget it all.

With his smile growing and more of his dimples coming through, Anthony stood up from where he sat and walked around the table to stand at his lover's side.  
"Where else would I go?"  
He asked softly with a quick kiss on Alastor's head, then let his cheek rest there.  
"You're all I got."

Reaching a hand up for Anthony as he came over to stand close to him, Alastor rested his hand upon the other's arm. 

"I suppose the same could be said for me too."   
He hummed, letting that closeness linger between them for a few moments more before he found himself pulling back.   
"I have one more gift for you. It's in the lounge though." 

Standing from his seat, pressing a kiss to Anthony's cheek as he did so, Alastor took both their empty plates and began to carry them through to the kitchen.

Anthony blinked and looked at the box that remained on the floor.  
"Should I change first and meet ya in there?"  
He asked as he picked the box up and held it close to his body, then loosely trailed behind his lover.  
"I was gunna do the dishes either just b'fore bed or first thing in the mornin', so y' don't gotta touch 'em."  
He added, stopping in the doorway to the kitchen.

Glancing over his shoulder back at Anthony and then down to the box in his arms, Alastor nodded.   
"Don't worry about the dishes, my dear. This is a special day for you as much as it is for me. I'll meet you in the other room once I've finished."   
He had made up his mind about that, not wanting Anthony to do _all_ of the work. Not to mention, he looked awfully tired as it was.   
"I can't wait to see you wearing it, mon amour. I'm sure you'll look quite dashing!"

Anthony hesitated at first, watching as Alastor started on the dishes, but slowly nodded with a small 'okay' and started up the stairs of the house.

As soon as he was in the bedroom, the blonde started to undress from his nicer clothing and opened the box. Pulling the garment out to fully admire it, he turned it and held it up against his body. It was then as he looked down at the beautiful blue fabric and dark lace on the skirt that his smile fell.

Anthony held the dress against his chest with one hand while the other moved down to caress the familiar beadwork on the top and then rubbed the lace of the skirt between his fingertips.  
He whispered something to himself as tears began to sting his eyes and his breath hitched in his throat.

Lowering himself to the floor carefully, the blonde sniffed and held the dress close to his body. This was her favorite dress and now he had it in his size.

After a moment of lingering in memories, Anthony stood again and put the dress on, managing to zip it up with Alastor's shadow's help.  
He whispered a small 'thank you' and wiped his eyes so that none of the tears would fall onto the delicate fabric. After lingering for a few more moments, he started back down the stairs, thin and pale arms hugging himself and tears still threatening to fall.

Slipping off his jacket so it wouldn't get wet, the tedious task of the dishes began. It wasn't before long though that Alastor's hands paused from where they rinsed a plate in the sink, the shadow allowing him a glimpse of what it could see at that moment.

Anthony was sad and for a second, Alastor thought he'd done wrong to buy such a dress for his love.

But- the tiniest of 'thank you's he heard was all the reassurance that Alastor needed. Smile gently picking back up again, something soft for a change, the brunette rinsed and dried the last of the dishes before putting them all away. Just as he finished, footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs.

Sleeves still rolled up, tie undone now that he was home, Alastor stepped into the hallway just in time to see Anthony walking down the last of the stairs.

The blonde's posture and glossy eyes suggested that he was upset, however, Alastor knew that wasn't entirely the case. Holding an arm out for his amour, he gave a nod of his head.   
"Your happiness and raised spirits were my every waking moment when I was getting this dress made."  
He began.

"The patterns were half the trouble. There were very few seamstresses around that could find the same one."   
Raising his thumbs to the corners of Anthony's eyes, Alastor wiped away any tears.   
"The fabric had to be exact and they kept calling me back to check the measurements- I suppose they were quite perplexed over the shoulder width for someone that was supposedly a woman."   
Chuckling at that last part, the brunette gave Anthony a quick once over.   
"But despite all of that, they did a wonderful job... you look exquisite, my darling."

Anthony sniffed with a small smile, appreciating his lover's tenderness.  
"Thank you, Al... for goin' through all the trouble y' did t' make it exact..."  
He exhaled shakily and looked down at the dress again.  
"I really love it, Al. I really _really_ do."  
He repeated with another sniff to follow, his hand moving up to cover his mouth while the other wrapped tighter around himself.  
This had definitely made up for the horrible tease Alastor performed when he came home.

"It's really no trouble at all."   
Arms opening slightly for Anthony, Alastor softly wrapped the man in a gentle embrace, holding him close.   
"I apologize for making you think I forgot this evening. There's no need to cry, amour." 

Anthony buried his face in his partner's shoulder and wrapped his arms around him tightly in return.

More gentle kisses were placed meticulously to the top of Anthony's head as Alastor held him. Only after a few moments passed did he pull back slightly.   
"Now, about that dance you promised me."

When Alastor initiated the disengage, the blonde wiped his eyes again and looked up at the taller man.  
"Go make sure the curtains are closed b'fore I go in. Don't want anyone creepin' around 'n seein' me like this, yeah?"  
He smiled a bit and cupped his lover's cheek, then leaned up to quickly kiss his lips.

Grinning into the kiss to his lips, Alastor gave another nod and stepped back into the lounge. It was getting dark outside, but that didn't mean that no one could see in from the street out front.   
Quickly pulling the curtains closed, to allow some light in the room, Alastor moved toward the small fireplace. However, before he could begin to start lighting it, shadows slunk over the structure, flames suddenly igniting. The fireplace wasn't used too often, mostly for more comfortable lighting more than anything, but Alastor felt like it fit the atmosphere to have the fire going.

Moving back out into the hallway, he held out his hand for Anthony to take.   
"As I said, I do have one more thing for you in here."

At the signal that it was safe, the Italian stepped into the lounge and accepted the hand that was offered to him.  
"Y' know y' didn't have t' get me anythin' else. The dress was more than enough. I couldn't ask for nothin' else."  
He said as his free hand played with the lace a bit.

"Oh, but I did."   
Alastor grinned, leading Anthony into the center of the room. Swaying away over to a cabinet in the lounge, He carefully opened it.   
"I presumed this to be quite the hiding place since you don't look in here."  
He announced, grabbing the item and holding it behind his back again before turning back to Anthony.   
"Here you are, my dear."   
A small leather-bound book was presented.

The Italian looked at the book and tilted his head to the right.  
"You're full of surprises t'day, huh?"  
He huffed a quiet chuckle and slowly opened the cover of the book to the first page. It took a moment to process what it was that he was seeing.

"This is for me?"  
The blonde asked as he ran his fingers over the drawing of blue moon phlox he'd drawn all that time ago right next to pressed and dried flowers.  
"I thought the original was ruined..."  
He then turned the page to see more of his drawings and pressed flowers right next to the artworks.

Alastor was sure his grin couldn't get any wider if he tried, the man feeling an incredible sense of pride wash over him as Anthony opened the book and realized what it actually was.   
"Impressive, hm?"   
The brunette chuckled, extending a finger and reaching over to tap one of the pressed flowers.   
"Don't get me wrong, the original notebook of yours was very much damaged, however, some drawings were salvageable. That, and some phloxes I preserved last summer, and voilà!"

Taking a small step back to let Anthony look through the book, Alastor's brows raised in realization.   
"Oh, I almost forgot."   
Not providing an explanation, the man turned on his heels and briskly walked out into the hallway. There, he grabbed something before returning.   
"I brought these back for you. I'm afraid they're cold now, but still tasteful nonetheless. I know they're still your favorite after all."

Anthony took a few more moments to appreciate all of the work and thought that had gone into the gifts he was being presented with before looking up to see a familiar paper bag. His eyes immediately widened, knowing exactly what resided inside.

"Al, this ain't fair! Y' got all this stuff for me and all I did was make dinner... what'd ya do?"  
The blonde asked and closed the book, setting it aside before taking the bag. He looked inside to make sure it wasn't a joke and then looked up at Alastor again.  
"This is kinda overkill, y' know?"

Shaking his head, Alastor moved over to the radio, turning it on. Of course, nothing would be playing at this time, but he always had a trick or two up his sleeve.   
"You made dinner- precisely; and I appreciate that more than anything, Anthony. Even if you hadn't done anything at all, I really wouldn't have minded."   
He hummed, moving over to his lover and taking his hand now.   
"I'd say it's perfectly fair. If I _really_ wanted to go overkill, well, then you certainly would have known about it."

Anthony set the bag down with the book and watched his lover closely. He would have had a beignet but he didn't want to get any of the sugar on the dress.

"I love you... so much, Smiles."  
He whispered with a step closer to his lover and cupping his cheek with his free hand.  
"Thank you. For everything."

Leaning into the hand upon his cheek, tilting his head, Alastor's eyes narrowed in a smile.   
"No, thank _you_ , Anthony dearest."   
There were many things that he had to be thankful to Anthony for. He didn't have to name them though- Anthony already knew.   
"I love you."

Just as he said those three words, through the quiet static of the radio, the muffled beginnings of music began to quietly flood the room, gradually getting louder; like a mini orchestra just for the two of them to enjoy.   
"May I have this dance, mon amour?"

Smiling with dimples ever-present, the blonde positioned himself and prepared for a dance. He'd been out of practice for quite a while so this could potentially end in disaster, but he didn't care. This was important.

"'Course."  
Anthony nodded as he hooked his arm around Alastor's neck to ensure they would stay close.

Humming softly in tune to the music that played, Alastor didn't miss a beat as he placed one hand to rest on the waist of his lover. The material of the dress was gentle under his palm. His other hand reached for Anthony's hand, their fingers intertwining as if it were second nature to them.

Alastor knew that Anthony was almost hopeless when it came to dancing- the number of times he said he'd learn was quite amusing by this point, but Alastor didn't mind really. His partner's clumsiness almost added to his charm.   
"Do you know the song?"   
The brunette asked casually, waiting until Anthony was ready before he took a step forwards, leading the other into the dance.

Following Alastor's lead as best as he could, the Italian nodded in reply to the question.  
"Y' got it playin' a lot. I don't miss a moment when you're out."  
Anthony murmured as he brought his hand up to start playing with his lover's hair on the back of his head.  
"I love your music selections."

Chuckling with a slow nod, Alastor briefly glanced down, watching the way the lace skirt of Anthony's dress swayed and swished with every movement he made.  
"I know. Most do."   
The song was Always, by George Olsen. Quite a new tune, but one that lifted your spirits nonetheless. Alastor quite liked it.

All was going well as the song progressed, even if Alastor did have to steady the other a few times. He swore, Anthony occasionally stumbled how Alastor imagined an insect on wheels to look like. As helpless as a spider in that sort of situation. The thought made Alastor huff a small laugh to himself.   
"You know, I have to say, while it isn't perfect, the way you hold yourself while dancing has certainly improved."   
He pointed out.   
"Perhaps it's the dress."

"The dress really does help, I'll give it that."  
Anthony laughed softly and glanced down at his attire before bringing his focus back up to his partner.  
"I gotta keep myself held high n' confident when I'm wearin' somethin' like this or there ain't no point in wearin' it at all."  
He added with a bit of a stumble of his feet but caught himself rather quickly.

"Well, I'd say you definitely deserve to hold your head high. Such a shame the world cannot appreciate this beautiful display upon you."   
At the stumble again, Alastor quickly let go of Anthony's hand, both his hands now resting either side of the blonde's waist as their dancing slowed to gentle swaying. 

"I can't thank you enough for this though... it means so much t' me, Al."

"You've thanked me quite enough, amour. You know already that I would do anything to ensure your happiness."

"Yeah, but I still think that thanks are in order, y' know? I don't think it's fair t' be lucky enough t' have you and all that you've done and provided without a thank you every once in a while."  
The blonde smiled a bit, stepping closer now so that their bodies were touching, and brought his now free arm up to join the other around his lover's neck.  
"You gotta be happy too. It's only fair."

Chuckling softly as Anthony insisted, Alastor shrugged a little.   
"Why I would have thought from my smile alone, that you can see I am already very happy. You provide me with enough thank yous as it is, haha!"   
He continued, raising a hand up to Anthony's cheek once the other stood closer to him, a gentle thumb rubbing over a dimple.   
"It's such a wonderful thing to see you smiling like this, dear."

The blonde kept his eyes on Alastor as they continued to sway, leaning into the gentle touch a bit.  
"It's been a while, huh? Feels good t' know that I'm still able."  
He muttered; causing a thought to come to mind that made his smile falter for a moment.

"I know y' said that I've thanked you enough, but I wanna thank you one more time t'night. This time, for not givin' up on me. I know I ain't been the easiest t' work with since gettin' here and it's only added t' everythin' y' already gotta deal with."  
He sighed, keeping his head up despite how much he wanted to lower it in shame.  
There had been countless times that Alastor had stated that he was disappointed in Anthony's actions and told him how frustrating it was for him to have to handle all of that plus the stress of work and very little opportunity to play.

Alastor grew a little quieter, glancing off to the side. There had been times between them that led Alastor to believe he didn't deserve Anthony's thanks- not entirely, but even despite that, it seemed that the blonde could see past all of those times. 

"Thank you."   
Alastor whispered, pulling his gaze away from the burning fire and looking back into Anthony's eyes.   
"You really have thanked me enough, Anthony. You really have."

"I haven't."  
Anthony shook his head, his smile growing slightly.  
"I'll stop thankin' ya for t'night though."  
He added before leaning forward to put his cheek on his lover's chest and closed his eyes.  
"I'll just tell ya how much I love ya instead. Sound good?"

Smirking slightly, chuckling as the music from the radio came to an end, Alastor nodded.   
"Good."   
The man muttered, hand resting on Anthony's back now, keeping him close to him as he leaned into his chest, the both of them still gently swaying.   
"I hope this was a wonderful first Valentine's Day for you, darling. I only wish everything would be okay from here on out. But I suppose we can't have everything we want, can we."

"Guess not..."  
The blonde breathed and kept his eyes closed for another few moments.  
"But we've got each other and we can have this small moment of peace t'gether, right? Just for t'night."

Letting Anthony rest against him for a moment, soon Alastor gently pulled away before leading the other to sit down upon one of the couches.   
"I wouldn't want anything more."   
He sighed, holding his hand out for Anthony to take before he pulled him down to sit beside him.   
"Today can be our day of peace."

Anthony leaned into his partner and let his head rest on Alastor's shoulder, smoothing out the skirt of his dress a bit.  
"Y' know what else we ain't done in a while?"  
He asked, looking up at his lover as best as he could from the angle they were at.

Alastor's eyes closed peacefully as he leaned his head back against Anthony's.   
"And what might that be?"  
He hummed softly, the warmth and crackling that came from the fire quite calming.   
"Simply relaxed like this perhaps?"

"Well, there's that..."  
Anthony chuckled lightly, looking at the flames for a few moments before placing his hand on Alastor's thigh and turned his head so that he could bite his lover's neck lightly.

Alastor sighed softly at the tiny bite to his neck, however paused slightly when he felt Anthony's hand on his thigh. This was fine.   
"Anthony."   
The man sighed again, eyes slowly opening before he looked across at his lover.

The blonde only hummed in reply, replacing the bite with a few kisses before biting a new spot on Alastor's neck and let his hand trail up his leg a bit more.

Alastor didn't mind the kisses- he never minded them from Anthony. He too also wanted to express his appreciation for the blonde in this sort of way, but there was just one thing. Something that was holding him back from completely giving his lover what he clearly wanted.   
Leaning into the kisses a little, Alastor lowered a hand and placed it over Anthony's that was on his thigh now, giving it a small squeeze before starting to pull it away as gently as he could.

Anthony stopped as soon as he noticed that his hand was being guided away, pulling away from Alastor's neck, and looked down at their hands.  
"What's wrong? Wanna take this upstairs? We can do that if it makes things more comfortable for ya."  
He commented, looking at his partner again.

Sighing once more as he pulled back, Alastor shook his head.   
"Anthony... I-... this probably isn't a good idea tonight."   
He began, wanting to let Anthony down easy but also not wanting him to be upset in any way.   
"Can I not show you that I love you without... making love to you?"

Anthony's stomach sank a bit when he heard that but he respected that Alastor spoke up about his own wants and needs.  
"Y-Yeah, that's... I mean... if this is about that one time-"  
He stopped himself from the feeling that this shouldn't be discussed. If Alastor didn't want to, Anthony wasn't going to try to convince him into it. That wouldn't have been right.

"No, no Anthony it's not..."  
Alastor stopped himself before he could continue. He wanted to convince himself that this wasn't all because of that one time, but that wouldn't be entirely true.   
"I'm sorry, amour."   
Taking Anthony's hand, Alastor gave it another gentle squeeze before leaning over to press a kiss to the side of the Italian's mouth.   
"I know this is perhaps something you wanted on such a day, and again, I apologize. But tonight is not a good idea."

"There's nothin' t' be sorry about. If y' don't wanna, y' don't wanna. No explanations needed."  
Anthony replied before adjusting himself a bit to cuddle into his lover.  
"We'll just be close, but not _too_ close."

If he was going to be honest with himself, Anthony felt as though he'd done something wrong. Even if this wasn't about what had happened the last time they tried to be intimate, he didn't know what else to think. Something might have happened to Alastor at work or someone had been pressuring him. Whatever it was, the blonde only hoped that there would be something he could do about it or, at the very least, help ease Alastor's mind.

"I love you, y' know that, right?"  
Anthony looked up at his lover in the dim lighting of the room, the green of his eyes gleaming along with the dancing of the flames.

Alastor smiled softly, holding Anthony as close to him as he could.  
"And I hope you know that I love you too."  
Anthony did look a little disheartened, however, Alastor hoped that would soon pass. Alastor still loved him very much.   
"So much."   
Gently cupping Anthony's jaw, Alastor leaned in for a kiss, eyes closing as he captured the blonde's soft lips with his own.

Today was a very special day and it was clear in the fact that they were doing things that they hadn't been able to in what often felt like forever; a kiss like this only adding to the list.

Anthony closed his eyes and returned the kiss, making sure to keep himself level headed and let Alastor have all of the control. He didn't want to push for anything, not even deepening the kiss unless his partner initiated it. The last thing he wanted was to make Alastor uncomfortable.

Moments passed, Alastor keeping the kiss soft before he pulled back, staring warmly into Anthony's eyes with nothing but love.   
"Happy Valentine's Day, darling."   
Wrapping an arm around his amour, Alastor leaned his head against the other, eyes closing comfortably.   
"I hope I made today special for you..."

"You make every day special."  
Anthony smiled, letting his eyes close now as well.

Their circumstances may not have been perfect and traumas of the past may have made things that much more difficult for them, but they were making the most of what they could. That was all Anthony could ask for.  
From this point on, Anthony vowed to himself that he would keep doing his best to make Alastor's life at least a little easier by behaving himself and giving his lover less to worry about.


	63. Chapter 63

┏ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┓  
Sunday, August 12th, 1923  
┗ ━━┅━━━┅━━ ┛

Sunday came much quicker than Alastor had expected it to, the event of Madeline's birthday party now just a mere few hours away. Alastor still wasn't fond of the idea of attending, but if Anthony wanted to, he wasn't going to stop him from indulging in a party while he could.

After the carnival the previous night, Alastor and Anthony had returned to the brunette's home and had eaten, said their goodnights to Amélie, and went to sleep relatively early.  
That was why Alastor supposed Sunday had come so quickly.

Alastor had told Anthony not to bother with getting _too_ dressed up since it was more of a get-together than a party, but of course, he could hardly talk. He was always dressed formally.

Plans to pick up beignets at the bakery were still going ahead, and thankfully the bakery was open- it being one of the very few shops that welcomed business on Sundays.  
As the two men walked at their respective distances towards the bakery, just having hopped off the streetcar, Alastor motioned in the direction of the hotel.  
"If you want to save time, you're more than welcome to get what you need at the hotel while I pick up the beignets."

Anthony nodded with a bit of a smile.  
"That works just fine. If I'm done b'fore ya, I'll meet up with ya at the bakery and vice versa."  
He replied with a clap of his hands, starting up the steps of the hotel now.  
"See ya in a bit!"

If Anthony was honest with himself, he was pretty nervous. He was going to be meeting someone that both Alastor and Rosie didn't seem to be too fond of, as well as some of her friends and her husband. He didn't have an exact number, but he was prepared for a lot of people.  
At least, that's usually how get-togethers went back home; all members of the life included in the gathering whether that be a wedding or a christening. Everyone was treated like family; therefore, everyone was invited... mostly.

Once he got up to his room, Anthony quickly washed, got dressed, gathered some things that he thought he would bring along such as pencils and his sketchbook, and then left his room to make his way towards the bakery.  
He was glad that it was open for a few hours on Sundays.

The same woman as always was at the bakery that morning, and the smell of all the freshly baked goods never failed to make Alastor's mouth water every time he visited the establishment.

Conversing with the woman in French for a little, knowing he still had time, it was when he ordered the beignets that she told him they were _almost_ ready, they just needed a few more minutes. That was fine of course, he still had a few minutes to spare surely.

Once Anthony arrived at the tiny store on the corner of one of the streets, he stepped inside, smiling once he saw Alastor. Checking the time on his watch, the blonde nodded.  
"It's five t' three. We gotta hurry."

The brunette nodded at the information.  
"It's alright. I'm sure if we run a few minutes over, the excuse of picking up beignets will be more than acceptable. A fresh batch is just being made now."

Anthony slowly raised a brow, yet smiled warmly anyways. If Alastor didn't see a problem with being late, there probably wasn't. Anthony was always set on a strict schedule and if he said he was going to be somewhere at a specific time, he was going to be there on time no matter what. It wasn't like that here, which was a little strange for him.

"Alright."  
The blonde nodded, stepping further into the bakery, and leaned himself against the wall, nodding politely again at the woman with another smile.

It wasn't long before a young man came out with the order of beignets, scooping them into two paper bags before handing them over to Alastor.  
"Passe une bonne journée."  
[Have a good day.]  
He said before returning to the back of the shop.

Taking the few paper bags of beignets with a grin, Alastor nodded at both the woman and the young man before he and Anthony stepped outside.  
Checking his pocket watch, he saw they were only a few minutes late.  
"Ah, it's quite alright Anthony. We're ten minutes late, but it's not as if we're the main guests at this party. I'm sure we haven't been missed."  
He shrugged, the two of them beginning to walk towards Rosie's home.  
"Did you get everything you needed at the hotel?"

"If I was just supposed t' bring some art stuff, then yeah, I got everythin'."  
Anthony replied with a hum, lighting a cigarette as they walked.  
"Y' sure it's okay that we're late? I don't want either of us t' get smacked with the newspaper again."

Nodding again as they took a left at the end of the road, Alastor's smile didn't falter.  
"I'm sure she's too preoccupied with the guests and Madeline herself to probably even notice that we're late."  
He chuckled slightly; the beignets warm in his left hand. As for his right hand? Well, it had a much smaller bandage on it now and was beginning to heal. The stitches weren't to come out yet, but when the time came Amélie had already said she would help with it. It was just a matter of waiting he supposed.

"If ya say so. I was taught that anythin' can be a weapon, but the newspaper was one 'o the _last_ things I woulda expected. Papercuts, maybe, but that ain't the most effective."  
Anthony continued, taking the pencil from behind his ear and tapping his cheek with it for a moment.

Alastor raised a brow as he observed Anthony for a second, eyes narrowing and smirk rising as he listened to the Italian rambling on and on.

"Even a pencil is usually more terrifyin' than newspaper. Wouldn't be surprised if she could use a feather as a weapon, or even a-"

"Anthony."  
Alastor spoke flatly, not bothering to take his smugly fond gaze away.

"Hm? What-"

"You talk _far_ too much when you're nervous. There's nothing to be worried about, it's just a small get together."  
He pointed out, looking away again now, especially since they were almost there.

Anthony was a little embarrassed that Alastor had picked up on that- but of course he would. There wasn't much he missed.  
"Sorry. Closin' my head now. Ain't gunna speak unless spoken to from here on out."  
The blonde nodded, zipped his lips, and ended that off with a salute. He didn't mean to annoy Alastor too much.

Alastor sighed at that, the two of them walking up to Rosie's front door now.  
"No, you don't have to _not_ speak."  
He clarified and continued on, knocking three times upon the door before stepping back.  
"I'm simply saying that there's no need to be nervous. Madeline's quite talkative at times, so I'm sure you'll get along just swell. In fact, you probably won't be able to get a word in yourself."

"Yeah, but I know y' don't even wanna _be_ here, so the least I can do for ya is not talk so much. Besides, I'm used t' bein' told t' shut up. So, if I ever talk too much, just smack me and I'll take the hint. Off I go again, sorry."  
Anthony replied, actively being quiet now.

Alastor was about to object and protest against Anthony's words, however, before he could even open his mouth, the door swung open and they were greeted by Rosie.

"So kind of you to grace us all with your presence. Better late than never, I suppose. Please, come in."  
The smiling woman greeted with a hint of sarcasm, stepping aside for the two men to enter.

Anthony gave a bit of a nod and a smile in return as he stepped in, making sure to keep his talking to a minimum now.  
"Sorry we're late."

Taking note that Rosie had noticed they were late, Alastor cleared his throat and took off his hat before stepping in.   
"Yes, I apologize. I went to the bakery to pick up some beignets for us all and they took a little longer than expected."  
He explained their lateness, following Rosie as she led them through the house and into the lounge where talking could be heard.

Just as expected, there weren't too many people there. Madeline, her husband, and three of Madeline's friends were sat in the lounge, comfortably all conversing away. Their heads turned when Anthony and Alastor made their appearances, Rosie standing behind the two men now as they lingered in the doorway from the hallway.

Sat on one side of Madeline was her husband, however, close on her other side, Alastor spotted Bernadette Mayeux, a long-time childhood friend of Madeline's. As Alastor and Anthony entered the room, a rather notable sour look crossed her face, the woman quickly looking away and turning to Madeline with an expression of confusion.

Anthony gave a bit of a nervous smile and a very small wave as he followed Alastor.  
"Um... hi."  
He spoke in a soft voice.

Madeline's husband stood from where he sat and walked over, offering his hand to Anthony to shake.  
"Samuel Barbet, so happy to meet you both."

Anthony nodded, accepting and shaking the man's hand.  
"Anthony Ragnatela, happy t' be here."  
He responded, taking note of Samuel's presentation as he offered his hand to Alastor next.

Samuel was around the same height as Alastor and it didn't take a genius to notice their similar complexion and hair color. Their facial structures and builds were a tad different, Alastor having more of a noticeable jawline, but the similarities were certainly there and were eerie nonetheless.

Alastor wasn't a fool. He immediately took note of the similarities between himself and Samuel appearance-wise, however, didn't want to say anything obvious or offensive. He simply shook the man's hand and watched as Rosie introduced Anthony to everyone.

Rosie then stepped forward with a smile.  
"Anthony, you haven't met anyone yet, so I shall introduce you."  
She said as she joined the other women.  
"This is Doreen Broussard, Paulette Hebert, Bernadette Mayeux, and my daughter, Madeline."

"You ain't from around here, huh?"  
One of the women, Paulette, spoke up as she listened to Anthony speak, hearing the blonde's accent.

"No, I don't think he is."  
Bernadette spoke up now, her tone laced with something rather judgmental as she looked to Madeline again now, clearly wanting her attention for something.

Anthony shook his head.  
"No, New York."  
He stated simply, watching as Samuel took his seat again and Madeline gave a bit of a look at her friend that was clearly questioning what Bernadette wanted.

Anthony looked at Alastor again with the inner corners of his brows turned upward in something of worry and confusion.

"Now then, Madeline, I'm sure you remember that Anthony was the friend that Alastor had mentioned was the artist. He's offered to draw a portrait of you."  
Rosie explained.

Madeline smiled politely with a nod, standing.  
"That would be wonderful! I've heard so much about you and look forward to getting to know another one of Alastor's friends. If you'll excuse me for a moment though, I'll make sure I'm presentable and ready for a portrait."  
She said as she and Bernadette left the lounge.

"Come and sit, gentlemen. No one here bites."  
Rosie grinned, offering two seats to Anthony and Alastor.

Alastor nodded and with the introductions now all out of the way, he took the seat that was offered by Rosie, sitting himself down with Anthony beside him.  
"Ah yes, the beignets!"  
He exclaimed, setting the paper bags on the table that was to the right of him, watching slightly as Madeline and Bernadette left the room.

Leading Madeline out of the room and rounding the corner of the hallway, Bernadette stood, that look of confusion still very much on her face.  
"Maddie."  
She whispered, her voice hushed.  
"You didn't mention that _they'd_ be here? Presuming he _is_ the one that's with Alastor today."

Madeline's brows knitted together slightly, leaning closer to better keep the conversation quiet while everyone else conversed in the lounge.  
"What are you talking about? Alastor is a friend of mine and if he wanted to bring a friend of his, I'm not going to object. Anthony came all the way from New York to be with his friend. What's wrong with that?"

"Oh _well_."  
Bernadette began, looking around her as if she were about to spill something scandalous. Which, in a way, she was.  
"My mother told me a few days ago that a friend of hers had heard from someone _else_ that _they'd_ heard some quite... disturbing news. Now, I don't know for certain, since I've never met Anthony before, and as I said, my mother heard this from someone else. _But_... there was apparently something odd going on between Alastor and another boy."  
Pausing a moment, Bernadette leaned in a little more, keeping her voice hushed.  
"Something that _I_ don't even dare say out loud myself. But I'm sure you know what I'm implying? It's horrid, really, to think about it."

Madeline paused entirely, glancing back at the French doors that led to the lounge, and then looked at her friend again.  
"See, I've never met Anthony before either, but he _was_ here two years ago. That's when he and Alastor met in the first place."  
She started, looking up in thought briefly.  
"Now, ever since then, even _before_ I married, the events after they met seemed to be all Alastor would talk about and even after Anthony went home, I found that they were using the telephone to keep in contact. When I asked him about it, he said that they were only friends."  
She explained, joining in on her knowledge of the subject.  
"I don't know what to believe, but I want to think that they are only friends. I say we watch them closely while they're here and see if we can confirm or deny any of the rumors."

Bernadette listened intensely, nodding along as her best friend gave a few more details, ones she hadn't known before.  
"I've no idea what anyone's going to do if it _does_ turn out to be true. I haven't seen anything myself, but Alastor always has been strange."  
Stepping back now, Bernadette looked back to the French doors.  
"According to my mother, the rumor's spreading pretty quickly. It would be such a shame if Alastor's mother found out about him in that way, she's such a sweet woman. I can't imagine having to put away your own son."  
Whether they were only friends or not, Bernadette at least was willing to believe the quickly spreading rumors. After all, a bit of a scandal was always interesting. Anything to fuel the fire.

"Oh, I can't even _begin_ to imagine. Not only would Alastor be ruined, but Amélie would be too. She's a wonderful woman and doesn't deserve that sort of fate. When she does find out though, I have a feeling she's going to take him to the hospital for immediate treatment. That's surely what any thoughtful parent would do."  
Again, Madeline paused, a shocked expression of realization crossing her face.  
"Oh _god_ , and what about _me_?! I was in love with him at one point! How do you think that'll reflect on _me?!_ We have to make sure it's undeniably true before we say anything to anyone else. I don't want to be seen negatively."  
Madeline continued, now somewhat frantic.

Bernadette quickly shook her head, eyes widening as Madeline began to worry and she too realized what her friend was saying.  
"Oh no no, Maddie it's not your fault at all. You'll be fine- it's just as you said. We have to make sure it's true before we say anything more. You won't be caught up in this."  
She nodded firmly, taking the other woman's arm and leading her back towards the lounge.  
"Now come on, you can't miss out on your own party. We'll talk more later."

Madeline let herself be escorted back to the small gathering, taking a breath.  
"Now, my question is, why was I not told about any of this? I'll accept an explanation later but I'd love to know why you kept all of this from me."  
She whispered just as they were re-entering the lounge.

Before she could take a seat again, Madeline looked across at Anthony then quickly to Alastor, and finally _back_ over to Bernadette. Madeline didn't know how to feel after that whole conversation, but one thing was for sure. She needed more information, and the only way to get that was by speaking with Anthony it seemed.

Anthony was about to answer a question that was aimed at him, but he stopped when he noticed the two women returning from the corner of his eye, the blonde looking over and smiling a bit at them.  
"I'm willin' t' wait a while b'fore we start on your portrait, or we can start now, Madeline. I ain't got anywhere t' be t'day."  
He announced.

Eyes squinting in a smile, Madeline responded.  
"Oh, yes of course. We can start it now if you want."  
She nodded, glancing over to her husband with another smile.  
"I'll be back later, darling."

It seemed that Anthony had a sketchbook with him, but Madeline was sure that her art room upstairs was going to be the best place to do this. Not to mention it would be away from everyone else, so a more personal conversation was more likely to happen.

Anthony nodded and stood from where he sat, very briefly catching Alastor's eye.  
"Sure. Where would ya wanna be set? You're an artist too from what I've been told, so I trust ya got a good sense of lightin' and such."  
That was when he bit his tongue, not wanting to talk too much.

"Me? Oh, haha yes I do enjoy art."  
She laughed, leading Anthony out from the lounge and towards the bottom of the stairs.  
"My art room upstairs has a large window and it always lets _plenty_ of light in. There are few chairs in there too, so I think that room would be suitable."  
Starting up the stairs now, Madeline looked behind her back at the blonde man.  
"I hope you don't mind being pulled away from Alastor like this."  
She started.

Anthony raised a brow as he followed her but waved his hand dismissively.  
"Nah, I don't mind. I'm pretty sure he could do with the time away from me too."  
He chuckled, stopping himself from looking back into the lounge before following up the stairs.

"You two are quite close then?"  
Continuing on with the questions, once at the top of the hallway Madeline led Anthony to the second door. Opening the door and stepping in, Madeline looked around at all the sheet covered paintings before she moved to the window. Upon opening the curtains, a pretty vase of flowers was revealed to be sitting on the windowsill, the flowers in full bloom as the natural light of the day warmed and filled the room.  
She was right, this was a very bright room indeed.

Anthony _was_ beginning to wonder what was with all of the questions though. He wasn't sure if this was normal curiosity or if she was looking for something specific; then again, this was their first time actually meeting after hearing so much about each other, so at the same time, the questions seemed natural.

"I'd consider him family, yeah."  
Anthony shrugged, looking around the room a bit. He definitely didn't want to make any of this awkward.  
The only woman Anthony had ever been alone with in a room was his sister and he certainly didn't know how to act in a scenario such as this. He supposed he would just not talk too much and not give any hint about his relationship with Alastor. Everything else would just be the same as if there were other people in the room. Simple enough.

Raising a brow at the answer she was given, Madeline then frowned as she thought it over for a moment.  
Sitting herself down in a chair by the window, she motioned to another chair that was sat behind a large standing easel just opposite. There beside the chair was a long table filled with an abundance of different art supplies.

"You're free to use whatever you need to."  
She explained slowly, drifting back to the topic they'd just been discussing.  
"But I _do_ think it's odd. You considering _Alastor_ of all people family. He's not the most... well, I don't really know how to describe it. He's not really close with anyone particularly. I've heard him say that people are a nuisance before."

Anthony sat as he was invited to, looking at the supplies and at the easel for a few moments as he started to decide what he was going to do.  
"I mean... sure he's a little closed off t' a lotta people, but I ain't got many friends back home, so whatever I _do_ have, I consider t' be family."  
He explained.  
"So, ah... want sorta medium are ya in favor of? I could do multiple if y' don't mind bein' away from your friends for a longer period of time."

Madeline opened her mouth to ask another question, however quickly shut it again, deciding to leave the questions for now. She didn't want to come across as too eager or suspicious.

"I am quite fond of watercolor- but you can use what you're most familiar with if you want."  
She spoke instead with a small smile.  
"And my friends won't mind, really. I understand that art takes time."

Anthony smiled with a bit of a nod, setting his sketchbook aside and started setting up the watercolors and paper.  
"I've done watercolor only a few times b'fore but I really liked it."  
He said as he took his pencil, looking at the woman with a tilt of his head.  
"Alright, I think I'm all set t' start. If y' wanna make sure you're comfortable and in a position you're gunna be happy with, we'll start."

Nodding, Madeline adjusted herself in her seat, deciding to cross one leg over the other as she sat back and got comfortable.  
"Alright, I think I'm ready."  
She nodded, glancing to the ground a moment before looking back over to Anthony.  
There was a moment's silence before she decided to speak up again.  
"Tell me about yourself, Anthony. It seems that Alastor knows you well, and I know that my mother has spoken about you before too. _I,_ however, have only just met you."

Anthony started loosely sketching, glancing up at the woman every few seconds to make sure he was precise.  
"Um... sure. I guess t' start, I'm from New York City. Got an older brother, Giovanni, who's got a kid on the way, and a twin sister, Maria."  
He began as he continued his sketching.

"Oh, that's nice."  
Madeline trailed off quietly, letting another silence take over the room before she spoke again.  
"Do you... have a girl back home then?"  
She hadn't really an idea where she was going with this, and she hoped she wasn't coming across as rude, but in order to come to a conclusion about these rumors, she had to be completely sure.

Anthony shook his head.  
"No, I don't. I'm too busy with work t' think about things like that. I'd have one if I could though, that's for sure."  
He chuckled, treating this sort of conversation as if he was talking to his father, except more casual. He _did_ feel like he was kind of being put on trial with all of the questions, but it was justified in his mind. He would have asked questions too but he wasn't sure if he was in any position to. That, and the fact that he was trying to focus on the sketch currently.

Madeline gave a small nod at that, not really getting too far with any questions.  
"You don't talk too much, do you?"  
She eventually spoke, raising a hand and pushing back some of her hair from her face.  
It was a very 'I'll speak when I'm spoken to' type of situation, which Madeline presumed was just Anthony being polite.

"I... guess it's more of the fact I dunno what to say or ask when I meet new people."  
Anthony replied slowly.  
"Why don't 'cha tell me about you? I'm sure you're more interestin' than I am."  
He suggested with a bit of a shrug.

Madeline visibly seemed to perk up a bit at that, the woman nodding.  
"Oh, yes! Well, you're probably curious about all the paintings in this room- or at least the sheets covering them. I used to paint a lot before I married and moved in with my husband. I kept all of my art supplies _here_ , so I haven't painted much recently."  
She began, clearly one who was more than happy to be talking about herself.  
"I've been painting for years now, mother was the one who suggested I start it actually, and I'm glad that I did."

Anthony smiled a bit as he listened, checking over the sketch a few times and comparing it to the real image in front of him.  
"From what I've been told, you're real good at it too. I guess y' would be if ya started years ago."  
After making sure that his sketch was satisfactory, he put his pencil down and set the page down on the small table next to the paints and jar of water.

Nodding again, watching as Anthony moved around the paints and water, Madeline sighed.  
"Not to be big-headed at all, but I'd say my art skills are quite refined. I remember starting out all those years ago when Mama took me and Al- _Alastor_ to the paint store."  
She smiled, correcting herself over the little nickname for Alastor.

Anthony raised a brow as he started looking through the brushes to decide which one he was going to start with.  
"Does Alastor not like the nickname Al? Sorry for changin' the subject for a minute. I'm just curious."  
If this was true, he'd have to address it with the man later and see if he should stop using that nickname.

Madeline couldn't help but raise a brow as well at that, and it seemed she would be doing that every time Anthony mentioned Alastor.  
"Oh no, I don't think he minds really. I simply corrected myself. Why... do _you_ call him Al?"

"Yeah, it's usually Al or Smiles. I only really use Alastor when he's gettin' on my nerves or t' prove a point."  
The blonde explained as he put a few brushes into the water and then put a few drops into the colors he knew he was going to use.

"Smiles?"  
Well, it certainly was fitting, so much so that Madeline herself couldn't help but smile too.  
"Huh. Yeah, he _always_ has been one to be smiling."  
There was the tiniest hint of fondness or perhaps longing behind her words as she spoke, but it was faint.  
"But I can't imagine Alastor getting on anyone's nerves really. He's such a gentleman at times. I couldn't associate him with the word annoyance if I tried."

Anthony chuckled and shook his head, not really noticing the hint in her words.  
"I thought for sure ya woulda had some spats with him considerin' the two of ya grew up t'gether."  
He said as he chose the first brush and started gathering hints of the red paint for the rosy pink color of Madeline's dress.  
"Anyway, sorry about that little de-rail. You were sayin'?"

While it was true, of course, they'd had fallouts when they were younger, Alastor was very much a gentleman in her eyes now, everything in the past having been forgiven and forgotten.  
"Oh, yes. I was just thinking back to when I first started painting and my mama bought me some paints. I was awful at it at first, as expected."

"Paintin' is a pretty hard thing t' get the hang of. Took me a while too."  
He agreed, starting to carefully add the color to his sketch.  
So far, Madeline wasn't all that bad. Anthony was still pretty confused as to why she was so disliked between Alastor and Rosie. Sure, she liked to talk, but he didn't really see a problem with that.

Nodding, Madeline watched as Anthony began to paint.  
"And how long did it take you to learn to paint? Assuming you're good, of course."  
She asked with a small tilt of her head, not wanting to move too much so that Anthony's painting would be accurate.

"Well, I was kinda under pressure when I started. I got my first paints two years ago and wanted t' paint my ma for the anniversary of her passin'. I'd say it took me a month t' get it right just 'cause that's how much time I had."  
He explained, taking the brush off of the paper to examine what he had done so far, then gathered a bit more paint and continued.

Madeline supposed she couldn't help the way that Anthony said that, a small snort of a laugh leaving her lips coincidentally just as he mentioned his deceased mother.  
"Ah- oh, I'm sorry. The way you said that was quite humorous. I guess it's just your accent. I'm not used to that funny tone."  
She giggled, running a hand through her hair.

Anthony raised a brow at the sudden laughter, smile faltering as his eyes narrowed, quite offended in all fairness, but he wasn't about to speak up about it. He could only hope that his expression was enough for her to read.

"You say your first painting was done in a month? First paintings _always_ have mistakes, believe me. But I'm sure it was relatively good regardless."  
She continued on casually, glancing out the window for a moment, appreciating how light the room was at present. It highlighted her features no doubt, and she knew it too.

"Right... uh, no, it really did take a month. I mighta had t' start over once or twice, but it came out pretty good in the end. Dad said it looked like she was right there with us."  
He shrugged, deepening some of the color for shadows now before moving on to the brown for the hair.

Madeline, distracted by the contents of the room and her own thoughts, didn't catch sight of the look Anthony projected. It was clear she hadn't meant any intentional hurt by the comment though.

"Don't you find it odd? Drawing a deceased person that is. I'm not one to judge, believe me, however, I find it almost unsettling. Especially if the picture is to be framed somewhere."  
She started with an absent-minded shrug, a piece of her hair twirling around her finger.  
"For example, I would hate to be told to create a portrait of my father. I simply wouldn't do it. It's quite creepy."

The blonde _wasn't_ appreciating her comments on the matter by this point.  
"I _don't_ actually, but if ya want _really_ creepy, people would take photographs with their freshly deceased relatives. Kids especially. I think paintin' is a lot better than that."  
With that, he fell silent again, letting the woman sit on that for a few minutes in hopes it would unsettle her enough to get her to change the subject or at least cease her thoughtless quips.

Madeline's lips pursed together in surprise, a rather perplexed expression crossing her face as she lowered her hand, strand of hair falling from where she'd been twirling it.  
"Oh, why that's ghastly."  
She muttered quietly now, looking down to the floor, silencing for a bit.  
She didn't _think_ she'd said anything to get a snappy response such as the one she had just done from Anthony.

Anthony could feel a small smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth at the sudden silence that fell again. He'd consider that a win.

Thankfully for his sake, it wasn't long before footsteps were heard making their way up the stairs, a gentle knock on the door sounding shortly after despite it being open.

"How are things going?"  
Rosie asked, looking between the two.  
"We're thinking about serving the cake soon if you'd be willing to take a short break?"

Anthony paused and looked up at Rosie, clearing his throat.  
"Actually, I think I could use a break. My hand is startin' t' cramp up a bit."

The woman nodded.  
"I can have Alastor bring something up for you. Madeline?"

At the mention of cake, Madeline immediately perked up again as she jumped up from her chair with a clap of her hands.  
"Oh mother, you really shouldn't have!"  
She grinned, walking across the room over to Rosie who stood by the door.  
"I know making a cake is _such_ hard work, you really didn't have to go through all that effort just for me."  
She smiled again.

Rosie gently patted Madeline on the back with a grin.  
"Oh, dear, I know I didn't... so I _didn't_. I bought it, haha!"

Madeline's happy smile couldn't be faltered by her mother's comments, so she simply shook her head with a dismissive laugh as she exited the room.  
"You will join us for some cake downstairs, Anthony, yes?"

Anthony sat up and leaned back in his chair, running his fingers through his hair with a small chuckle.  
"I'll be down in a minute. I'll just finish this up first."

Soon enough, Madeline's footsteps could be heard going down the stairs and into the lounge as she rejoined her husband and everyone else.

Rosie waited a moment before turning back to Anthony.  
"Is your hand _really_ hurting, or did you just want to be rid of her?"  
She asked with an almost knowing smirk.

Anthony exhaled and shook his head.  
"I really did want a break."

"Of course. I'll go and get Alastor for you now, so sit tight."  
The woman said as she left the room and went back downstairs, right to the kitchen where Alastor was putting candles on the cake.

Alastor was quite relieved when he was given the quiet task of putting candles on Madeline's cake in the kitchen. He knew that Madeline's friends were quite the talkative bunch, and it seemed her husband was no different.

"Anthony requests your presence upstairs."  
Rosie said as she opened the cupboard and grabbed a glass jar, placing two pills from the jar into the man's hand.

Alastor had just finished putting the candles on the cake and was lounging around the kitchen when Rosie returned.  
Watching as she placed two pills in his hand, Alastor's brows knitted together.  
"Is everything alright?"  
He asked slowly, grabbing a glass of water in response, presuming the painkillers were for Anthony.  
"Does he perhaps feel unwell?"

"Just his hand, dear."  
She replied with a shake of her head.  
"That's what he said at least. I think he just came to realize why we feel the way we do about her."  
She chuckled lightly.

Laughing at that one, Alastor nodded.  
"We won't be too long up there. I can't imagine Madeline would want us to miss her cake."  
He sighed as he took the pills and water for Anthony and left the kitchen.

Quickly dashing past the lounge as to not catch anyone's attention, Alastor headed on up the stairs and towards the art room where he presumed Anthony had been working on the painting. Knocking politely twice on the door, Alastor called out calmly.  
"Anthony, is everything alright, dear?"

Anthony was still sitting, working on the painting when Alastor arrived.  
"Yeah, fine."  
He said dismissively followed by a heavy exhale, sitting back again.  
"How about you?"  
He asked, looking over finally.

Alastor gave a singular nod as he walked into the room, closing the door behind him and moving to stand beside where Anthony sat.  
"Rosie said you needed these?"  
Holding out his hand and the water, he got a glimpse at the painting so far.  
"How has Madeline been? A talkative model I suppose?"

Anthony held out his hand to accept the pills with a bit of a scoff, running his thumb over them for a second in an examining sort of way.  
"Talkative and kinda insulting. Laughin' when I told her about my mother."  
He said as he put the pills in his mouth then took a sip of the water Alastor held.

Alastor's eyes immediately narrowed as he handed the pills and water over, the brunette rolling his eyes.

"Ain't nothin' funny 'bout that, even with my goddamn accent. _No one_ talks about ma like that."  
He muttered, glaring down at the painting.

"Such an insensitive girl at times."  
Alastor too scoffed, raising a hand and placing it gently upon Anthony's shoulder, seeing that he had been visibly upset by Madeline's unthoughtful laughter.  
"I'm sure the way you said it wasn't funny in the slightest. She should respect your mother, even if she has passed."  
But there was no use telling Madeline, not while she was around her friends anyway. She'd simply unapologetically apologize. He knew her well after all.

"I managed t' shut her up pretty quick by tellin' her that paintin' dead people wasn't weird. Told her about how people used t' get photographs taken with the recently deceased and she shut her mouth. Kinda funny seein' that look on her face, to be honest."  
Anthony chuckled, appreciating the gesture from his lover.  
He then looked down at his hand, flexing his fingers and then forming a fist a few times in hopes it would help the small cramp that he was beginning to feel.

Alastor couldn't help the laughter that escaped his lips then as well.  
"Ahaha yes, she's quite squeamish too. There's always a way to get back at her in that sense."  
He nodded, walking around to the seat opposite Anthony and sitting down.  
"How _is_ your hand? I suppose it's aching again, hm? Don't work too hard on the painting now."

Anthony chuckled lightly.  
"I'll be alright. Watercolor is probably the easiest form of paintin' out there."  
He replied, picking up the paintbrush again after a moment, the sound of muffled singing being heard from downstairs.

At the sound of muffled singing, Alastor paused. It seemed they had the cake all ready downstairs. And as much as he didn't feel like returning down there so soon, the two of them were guests who had been invited.  
"Come on, we should head down in a moment. I'm sure Rosie will be serving the cake."

"As soon as I'm done with this. Otherwise, she ain't gettin' nothin'."  
Anthony replied as he continued darkening the shadows on the paper with more pigment.  
"Ain't gunna be much longer. A few more shadows and I think it'll be done."

Alastor nodded again, however, at the mention of shadows, he remembered something.  
"Ah yes, those drawings you made of the entity. Do you mind if I show them to Rosie today? I'll try and catch her when there's no one else around of course, however, I thought it would be good for her to get a clear image of it."

Anthony's brows knitted together.  
"Al, they're yours. I don't care if ya show her. Could show the president for all I care. It's your business."  
He said with a small huff of a laugh, confused why he would have even asked in the first place.

Alastor just shrugged, chuckling slightly himself.  
"Well, it's _your_ art. I was simply asking."  
He smiled, taking a moment to watch as Anthony continued to paint, taking note of the way that his lover held the brush now to accommodate for the aching he felt in his hand- slightly different than what it had been on past occasions Alastor watched him draw or write.

"Oh hey, gotta question."  
Anthony began.  
"Somethin' came up in conversation earlier. Does the nickname Al bother ya? Madeline almost used it but corrected herself. I dunno what that was about."

Alastor would have been lying if he said he wasn't confused by that sudden question, but he was definitely glad that Anthony also took the time to give context too. Of course, it made sense then.  
"It's because I've corrected her on it many a time. You don't know how bothersome a nickname can be until it's overused to the point of being migraine-inducing."  
He stated rather simply.  
"But with you, everything's different. You know that. I don't mind it at all, in fact, I don't mind _what_ you called me. Your accent is most endearing. Not funny or amusing at all."

Anthony couldn't help the melting feeling in his chest at that statement, looking up at his lover with a small smile.  
"Y' know I'll stop callin' ya that if ya tell me to. I don't wanna annoy ya too much with it."  
Of course, now that something about his accent was brought up, it made him a little self-conscious of that too. Did people actually find it funny or just annoying?

Crossing a leg from where he sat in the seat, Alastor huffed a laugh.  
"Yes Anthony, every time you've called me Al, it's annoyed me to the point of no return as I'm sure I've made clear."  
He responded flatly, words clearly sarcastic.  
"It's simply just your accent you see."

"I knew it..."  
Anthony muttered to himself, then sighed, cleared his throat, and changed his voice up a bit.  
"Alright, Al, how is this? Does this make anything better for you?"  
He asked, doing his best to articulate and completely cover his New York accent with something closer to the way he would hear people speak on the radio back home. Of course, his facial expressions changed along with it, almost straining himself to make it work. It sounded weird for him to speak in such a way, even to himself.

Alastor blinked a few moments as Anthony spoke, his smile slowly widening as he began to laugh. Putting a hand to his face with a shake of his head, he chuckled.  
"Anthony, darling, please no."  
Sighing as he calmed himself, he managed to look across at Anthony in the eyes.  
"I think your accent is just swell. I can't imagine you without it, and I certainly _don't_ want to hear you without it. It's definitely not you."

Anthony sighed and slumped back into his seat.  
"Thank _God_. That was probably the hardest thing I've ever done. I dunno how anyone talks like that."  
He said as he looked across at the man, tilting his head slightly.  
"There ya go again with those good angles 'n perfect lightin' again."

Glancing across his shoulder at the window, Alastor chuckled again.  
"It's certainly not intentional."  
He smiled, arms folding now as he leaned back in his seat.  
"It seems the way that this window is facing, it naturally gets perfect lighting."

Anthony tapped his foot on the ground a few times as he finished off the painting for Madeline, then looked at Alastor.  
"Do me a favor and prop your elbow up on the sill."  
He stated as he got a new piece of paper and picked up his pencil.

Glancing to Anthony and then back to the window, Alastor shifted himself in the chair slightly so that he could do as Anthony had asked. With his elbow on the windowsill now, avoiding the vase, he looked back to the blonde.  
"Is that alright? Don't push yourself with drawing if your hand is hurting."

"Shaddup and look out the window."  
Anthony hushed and waved his hand dismissively, tilting his head, and looked down at the paper before beginning to sketch.  
He didn't care if he was in pain. The pills would kick in soon enough and he would be fine. That was the good thing about them after all.

Huffing a small laugh, Alastor did as he was told and moved to look out the window. The view outside was quite nice, he would admit. This side of Rosie's home overlooked one of the streets of the French Quarter, and it was nice to be able to be nosy from the comforts of a house. People watching was quite fun too, Alastor would admit.

Anthony sat and roughly sketched his lover, planning to use the watercolors while they were out and prepared, humming and complimenting Alastor in Italian as he worked. He knew they should have been down by now, but they weren't doing anything 'abnormal' so if anyone came up to get them, there wouldn't be anything to scramble to hide.  
Once the base sketch was finished, Anthony smiled and set the pencil down before grabbing one of the brushes from the cup of water, starting with the brown paint.

Alastor knew the two of them were being somewhat missed downstairs, however, he didn't care enough to hurry Anthony up. There would still be cake when they decided to go downstairs.  
The silence of the room was nice, the quiet sound of Anthony's brush against paper filling the air and the occasional clink of the glass of water as the Italian washed the brush.

As he worked, Anthony hummed a tune from an opera that his father favored, feeling the pain in his hand subside into nothing as time went on. He certainly wanted to take his time with this only because it was Alastor. He loved drawing him and now to be able to paint him was perfect.  
That reminded him that he would have to at least sketch Rosie and Amélie at some point before he went home.

Speaking of Rosie, she soon found herself making her way up to check on the two men, knocking lightly on the open door.  
"Gentlemen, will you be joining us downstairs fairly shortly?"

At the sound of footsteps, Alastor pulled his gaze away from the window, looking to Rosie as she announced herself.  
"Anthony was just drawing me. However, if Madeline insists we join everyone, then I'm sure we can take a break."  
He nodded, looking to Anthony now.  
"You should take a break too for a bit, hm?"

"Yeah yeah, just a few more minutes."  
Anthony said as he worked, waving his left hand dismissively.

"There's no rush. I simply don't want to be left to suffer alone."  
Rosie said with a small chuckle.  
"I can bring a slice of cake up for the two of you if you'd like."

Alastor could tell that Anthony was in his element here, drawing like this, but he needed a break too, even if for a bit.  
"No, it's quite alright Rosie. We'll be down and join everyone else shortly. I presume they're all gathered in the dining room?"  
He asked, turning back towards the window now, just to keep his pose for Anthony's sake.

"Yes, we'll be there for a while, I think. They're all quite slow with eating due to their incessant talking."  
The woman said with a roll of her eyes.  
"Enjoy the peace you have up here. We'll see you soon."  
She said as she turned on her heels and left again.

" _Incessant_. Ain't that a fantastic word."  
Anthony muttered to himself as he lightly tapped the brush on the edge of the glass.

Alastor gave Rosie a small wave as she took her leave, the man humming in agreement to what Anthony had to say.  
"Yes, I agree."  
He smiled, focusing back on the outside world again through the window.


End file.
